Wormwood pug
The wormwood pug is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Alexander Clerck in 1759. It is a common species across the Palearctic region as well as North America.
[Image:Eupithecia absinthiata02.jpg|thumb|200px|left]
The wingspan is 21–23 mm and the forewings are warm brown with two black spots along the costa with a black discal spot completing a distinctive triangle. There is a pale narrow line near the fringe with a distinct whitish spot near the Glossary of [entomology terms|tornus], although this is not as prominent as in the rather similar currant pug. The hindwings are greyish brown.ab. obscura Dietze is much darker, the forewing described as sepia-coloured.
Adult larvae are smooth and elongated. They adapt to the basic colour of the respective food plant and are accordingly greenish, cream-colored or brownish colored and usually show a reddish-brown diamond-like pattern on the back. Sometimes light green, almost unmarked specimens also appear.
The yellow-brown pupa is provided with greenish wing sheaths. At the cremaster there are eight hook bristles, the middle pair of which is strongly formed.
Eupithecia absinthiata requires examination of a genital preparation for certain identification.
The species flies at night in June and July and is attracted to light.
Image:Buckler W The larvæ of the British [butterflies and moths PlateCXXXIV.jpg|thumb|
140px|left|Figs 1,1a 1b,1c,1d,1e,1f,1g,!h 1i larvae after final moult 1j enlarged detail of segments- as E. minutata Figs 2,2a, 2b, 2c, 2d larvae after final moult 2e enlarged detail of segment ]
As the name suggests, the larva feeds on the flowers of mugwort, but it will also feed on the flowers of a range of other plants. The species overwinters as a pupa.
Larval food plants
- Achillea
- Aconitum
- Artemisia
- Aster
- Calluna – heather
- Cirsium – creeping thistle
- Erica
- Eupatorium
- Pimpinella – burnet-saxifrage
- Senecio
- Solidago – goldenrod
- Tanacetum
- Tripleurospermum – Mayweed