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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Geometrid and Swallowtail Moths (Geometroidea) » Geometrid Moths (Geometridae) » Larentiinae » Eupitheciini » Eupithecia

Genus Eupithecia

Eupithecia helena - Hodges #7576 - Eupithecia

Juniper Looper Moth (Eupithecia interruptofasciata) - Eupithecia interruptofasciata

Eupithecia behrensata - Eupithecia behrensata

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Geometroidea (Geometrid and Swallowtail Moths)

Family Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)

Subfamily Larentiinae

Tribe Eupitheciini

Genus Eupithecia

Other Common Names

Pug

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Eupithecia Curtis, 1825

Explanation of Names

Generic epithet Eupithecia is Greek meaning "beautiful ape." (1)

Commonly referred to as pugs because of the short underwings. (1)

Numbers

By far the largest moth genus with over 1400 species worldwide. About 160 Eupithecia species are found in America north of Mexico. (2) 62 species in Canada (CBIF). Several species are Holarctic.

Identification

Many Eupithecia species require dissection for identification and there are many undescribed species. (2) Adults at rest often hold their long forewings (with hindwings hidden beneath) at right-angles to the body, giving a distinctive "soaring hawk" appearance.

Food

Larvae feed mostly on Asteraceae and also other plant families.

Life Cycle

1. Caterpillar. 2 and 3. Pupa. 4. Adult

Print References

Curtis, J., 1825. British Entomology; being Illustrations and Descriptions of the Genera of Insecta found in Great Britain and Ireland, 6: 64.

Ferris, C.D., 2017. Lepidoptera of North America 14. Geometroidea: Geometridae: Larentiinae: Eupitheciini (Part). Contributions of the C.P. Gillette Museum of Arthropod Diversity Colorado State University, p.1-103 (PDF). (3)

McDunnough, J.H. 1949. Revision of the North American species of the genus Eupithecia (Lepidoptera, Geometridae). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 93(8): 537-728. (4)

Pearsall, R.F. 1908. The Genus Eupithecia and its Allies. The Canadian Entomologist. 40: 344-45.

Rindge, F.H. 1985. The Eupithecia (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) of Mississippi and Louisiana. American Museum Novitates. 2809: 1-18 (5).

Ross, D.A. & D. Evens, 1956. Annotated list of forest insects of British Columbia, part 3 - Eupithecia spp., part 4 - Hydriomena spp. (Geometridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of British Columbia 52: 36-39 (6)

Internet References

pinned adult images of all Eupithecia species in Canada (CBIF)

Moth Photographers Group – images of pinned adults

John Curtis

Works Cited

1.	An accentuated list of the British Lepidoptera, with hints on the derivation of the names. Anonymous. 1858. The Entomological Societies of Oxford and Cambridge.

2.	Moths of Western North America Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press.

3.	Lepidoptera of North America 14. Geometroidea: Geometridae: Larentiinae: Eupitheciini (Part) Clifford D. Ferris. 2017. Contributions of the C.P. Gillette Museum of Arthropod Diversity Colorado State University, p.1-103.

4.	Revision of the North American species of the genus Eupithecia (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) James H. McDunnough. 1949. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 93(8).

5.	The Eupithecia (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) of Mississippi and Louisiana Frederick H. Rindge. 1985. American Museum Novitates 2809:1-18.

6.	Annotated list of forest insects of British Columbia, part 3 - Eupithecia spp., part 4 - Hydriomena spp. (Geometridae). D.A. Ross & D. Evens. 1956. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of British Columbia.52: 36-39.

Contributed by Robin McLeod on 9 January, 2005 - 4:18pm
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Bbarnd, Maury Heiman, Wisconsin Oecanthinancy, Robert Lord Zimlich, Randy Hardy, Kyhl Austin, Blocky
Last updated 14 April, 2021 - 9:55am

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