Eupithecia plumbeolata

Eupithecia plumbeolata, the lead-coloured pug, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species can be found all over Europe ranging to the Urals, then through Central Asia to Siberia and to Sayan mountains, the Altai and the Amur. In the Alps, the species occurs up 2000 metres above sea level and in the Pyrenees up to in 2400 metres.

Eupithecia plumbeolata
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Geometridae
Genus:	Eupithecia
Species:	E. plumbeolata
Binomial name
Eupithecia plumbeolata (Haworth, 1809)[1]
Synonyms
Phalaena plumbeolata Haworth, 1809 Eupithecia begrandaria Boisduval, 1840 Eupithecia dshungarica Viidalepp, 1988 Larentia isogrammata Treitschke, 1828 Eupithecia singularia Herrich-Schaffer, 1848 Eupithecia lutosaria Bohatsch, 1893

The wingspan is 14–15 mm. The ground color of both forewings and hindwings is grey-brown to lead. All wings have alternating light and dark cross lines. These are weaker on the rear wings. Discal flecks have been identified. The abdomen is grey to grey-brown.^{[2] [3][4] [5]}The larva is grey-yellow with two red dorsal stripes.

Depending on the location, the moth flies from May to June.

Figs 5,5a,5b,5c larvae after final moult

The larvae feed on Melampyrum pratense.

The species preferably inhabits light forests, forest edges, as well as hedge and bushes landscapes.

Subspecies

• Eupithecia plumbeolata plumbeolata
• Eupithecia plumbeolata lutosaria Bohatsch, 1893 Ukraine, to Asia minor, the Caucasus and in Georgia.

Similar species

• Eupithecia haworthiata
• Eupithecia valerianata
• Eupithecia pygmaeata