Mottled Pug - Eupithecia exiguata

Wingspan 20-22 mm. Many of the Pugs are very difficult to tell apart but this one is usually distinguishable by the rather pointed wings and broken dark lines along the veins.

Woodland fringes, hedgerows and gardens.

It flies in May and June.

The larvae feed on a variety of trees and bushes including Blackthorn and Hawthorn.

It is fairly common and widely distributed in Britain but scarce in Scotland. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as common.

Fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland. L&R Moth Group status = A (common and resident)