Pimpinel Pug       Narrow-winged Pug
70.166 BF1842  –  Geometridae –  Larentiinae – Eupithecia simpliciata – Plain Pug – (Haworth, 1809) Adult Macro:  CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species – Can be confused with other species       PDF Icon – click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
Green –  Rare / Uncommon / Scarce   
Taxonomy:   Macro   >>  Geometridae  >> Larentiinae
ID Difficulty:  green  – easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.
ID pointers: A large and fat-winged Pug being sandy-brown, sometimes grey-brown in colour, with various colour grades of cross-banding through the forewing. There is a distinct narrow and slightly curved cross-band that lies just beyond the dark central discal spot, which is often conspicuous.
Distribution:  (Last record: 2024 )  –  A resident species that is scarce and locally distributed in Derbyshire. Found mainly on the Coal Measures and locally in the south of the county where it was once a common species.
Flight Period: July /  August /  –  On the wing July – August. Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Tony Davison, Paul Buxton  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 21 July 2025 by WS ***
Wingspan: 21-23mm
Forewing: 11-13mm Food Plant: Orache and Goosefoot.
Last Recorded Year: 2024
Last Recorded By – Not Recorded
Last Recorded General Area – Not Recorded
IMAGES BELOW:  Melbourne, Derbyshire – Images by Tony Davison© / Sandiacre – Paul Buxton© 17/7/2024

70.166 BF1842 - Plain Pug - Geometridae - Eupithecia simpliciata
Plain Pug – Eupithecia simpliciata
Plain Pug - Paul Buxton
Plain Pug – Sandiacre – Paul Buxton
70.166 BF1842 - Plain Pug - Geometridae - Eupithecia simpliciata
Plain Pug - Paul Buxton

Plain Pug – Geometridae – Larentiinae – Eupithecia simpliciata – colour code •

1842-plainpug Plain Pug - Melbourne - Tony Davison©

Distribution Map for Eupithecia simpliciata

Found 34 records
    ↳ 1 from After 2025
    ↳ 9 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 24 from Before 2020

If the Map Layers function fails, just refresh the page and it should be OK after. Use the +- zoom on the top left, or on a tablet, use two fingers to zoom. Remember, the last layer you ticked is the one which displays the popup information - they sit on top of each other - de-select then re-select, to see the popup values.

******* Choose ONLY one at a time, of either Monad, Tetrad or Hectad Distribution - each has it's own set of data. Also, the distribution maps cover ALL recorded data. *******

Bedrock Geology ** indirectly affects moth distribution by influencing the type of habitat and food plants available in an area. In turn, this may affect the types of moths that can thrive, or where they can most likely be found.

Land-cover * shows the variety of land-cover within the VC57 area, based on the CORINE (Coordination of Information on the Environment) forty-four thematic classes of land-cover. This will show, to a greater or lesser degree, the number and variety of moths found in different land-cover types. The UK continues to operate within the Copernicus programme, with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) providing Corine Land Cover (CLC) datasets for the UK and its territories.


NBN Atlas UK Distribution for – Eupithecia simpliciata

⚠️ Please wait for the map to load fully – do not click the link shown.


Note – the NBN Atlas datasets are listed in the map below and vary in their currency (uptodateness) – however, the map does give a general indication of the moth's distribution across the UK.

Visit NBN Site


Monthly Records By Year: Eupithecia simpliciata
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Eupithecia simpliciata
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )


First/Last Recorded Dates: Eupithecia simpliciata
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]

Shading shows moth presence between dates

Click the colour discs below to Select/De-select as Required

Recordings By Year: Eupithecia simpliciata
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Eupithecia simpliciata
AGR: -2.4%   |   Total % Change: -40%


CUSUM Analysis: Eupithecia simpliciata
About this chart: CUSUM (Cumulative Sum) charts track long-term trends in moth populations [ filtered by 'Adult' and 'Mine' life stages ] by showing whether each year’s counts are above or below the historical average. Even small shifts build up over time, making trends of growth, stability, or decline easier to see. CUSUM highlights trend-consistency — asking: “Across the years, have moth counts mostly stayed above or below average?”
The data sample has 11 gap year/s here (zero records) between 2000 and 2025. The moth may have been present in those gap years, but no data was available. Too many year-gaps may exaggerate or skew the chart.

Counts for the current year (2025) are pro-rated based on data available up to month 7 (July) to provide a full-year equivalent.

ⓘ Purple line rises = years better than average; falls = years worse than average.
Peak (best year) Trough (worst year) Growth periods Decline periods
Population peaked around 2004, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2022, showing a significant decline.

What the Y-axis "Cumulative Deviation" means: Cumulative Deviation shows the running total of how each year’s moth population count differs from the long-term average. i

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Eupithecia simpliciata
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Eupithecia simpliciata
( data includes Adult Stage only )

Flight Period chart – the grey hatched area above, which can cross one or more months, pictorially represents the best guess we have for this moth's flight periods [month/s]. The coloured lines represent the actual months seen in flight, from site observation records received between 2020-2025.

Records Behind the Map and Charts - Eupithecia simpliciata – 34 records available

Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns

TaxonSite NameTetradYearDateCountStageSource
Eupithecia simpliciataLangley MillSK44N202530/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataInkersall gardenSK47G202402/08/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataInkersall gardenSK47G202415/08/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataSandiacreSK43S202417/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataMickleover gardenSK33C202431/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataFindern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A202423/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataMarkham Vale South TipSK47K202307/08/20232adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataSandiacreSK43T202219/07/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataWoodland AveSK43R202120/08/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataMidway, Derbys.SK32A202020/07/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataFindern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A201902/08/20191adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataFindern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A201926/07/20191adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataShirland - Hallfieldgate LaneSK35Z201620/07/20161adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataHardhurst Rd, Alvaston, DerbySK33W201502/08/20151Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataWood Lane,Newhall,SwadlincoteSK22V201418/07/20141Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataSchool Close,Parkway Gardens,Darley DaleSK26R201112/08/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataRepton (site not precise)SK32B201002/07/20101Larvaevc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataDovedaleSK15K200905/07/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataThe Hollies,Station Rd,Darley DaleSK26R200912/07/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataElgar Drive,Sawley,Long EatonSK43R200711/08/20071Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataMain Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y200501/08/20051Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataMain St,Kings Newton,MelbourneSK32Y200501/08/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataMelbourne, DerbyshireSK32X200406/08/20041adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataMain Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y200401/08/20041Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataMain Street, Kings NewtonSK32Y200404/08/20043Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia simpliciataMain St,Kings Newton,MelbourneSK32Y200401/08/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataMain St,Kings Newton,MelbourneSK32Y200404/08/20043Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataSpinney Hill,MelbourneSK32X200406/08/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataLang Rd, Alvaston, DerbySK33R199210/08/19924Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataLang Rd, Alvaston, DerbySK33R199220/07/19925Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataLang Rd, Alvaston, DerbySK33R199227/07/19923Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataStaveley (near Staveley Works)SK47H197316/09/19731Larvaevc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataRepton (site not precise)SK32B188101/01/18811Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia simpliciataRepton (site not precise)SK32B188101/01/18811Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

Pimpinel Pug       Narrow-winged Pug

Copyright Tony Davison © 2025 www.derbyshiremoths.org

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