Ash Pug

Taxobox
name = Ash Pug
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Lepidoptera
familia = Geometridae
genus = "Eupithecia"
species = "E. innotata"
subspecies = "Eupithecia innotata fraxinata"
binomial = "Eupithecia innotata fraxinata"
binomial_authority =
synonyms =
*"Eupithecia fraxinata" Crewe, 1863The Ash Pug "(Eupithecia innotata fraxinata)" originally known by the binominal name "Eupithecia fraxinata", but now believed to be a subspecies of "Eupithecia innotata", is a moth of the family Geometridae. There are two races found in the British Isles, the nominate race which is widely distributed and a coastal race which is only found on the east and south-east coasts.

The forewings are generally dark brown or grey with few distinguishing marks apart from a small white tornal spot which may not be present on the frequent melanic forms. The wingspan is 18-24 mm. Two broods are produced each year with the adults flying in May and June and again in August ref|flight_season. Moths of the spring brood are usually darker in colour than the later specimens.

The larvae of the two races have different food plants, the nominate race feeding on ash and the coastal race feeding on sea-buckthorn. The species overwinters as a pupa.

# "The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range."

References

Chinery, Michael "Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe" 1986 (Reprinted 1991)

Skinner, Bernard "Colour Identification Guide to the Moths of the British Isles" 1984