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Genus Eupithecia

1593 Eupithecia mutata - Spruce Cone Looper 7575 - Eupithecia mutata Caterpilar IMG_1312 - Eupithecia miserulata Geometridae: Eupithecia (Caterpillar)? - Eupithecia Eupithecia? - Eupithecia Common Eupithecia moth caterpillar - Eupithecia miserulata Eupithecia quakerata 7499 - Eupithecia quakerata - female Eupithecia multistrigata - male Eupithecia
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
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.