70.163 BF1856  –  Geometridae –  Larentiinae – Eupithecia lariciata – Larch Pug – (Freyer, 1842) 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:  Red – difficult to identify – detailed examination required, often a Gen Det and/or specimen and quality photographs are required.
Confusion Species: Fletcher’s Pug, Larch Pug, Grey Pug
ID pointers: A tricky Eupithecia species to identify, especially when worn. Fresh individuals are usually accepted by county moth recorders, even more so if supported with a photograph, but when worn they would require a Gen Det to get accepted. Normally on fresh specimens, the cross-lines preceding and succeeding the discal spot, are acutely angular. There is also a white spot or crest on the back of the thorax. These two features help to separate it from Fletcher’s Pug. The wing tips are more pointed in Larch Pug, more rounded in Grey & Fletcher’s Pug.
Distribution:  (Last record: 13 July 2025 at Longdendale (Torside) )  –  Uncommon and locally distributed in Derbyshire. Very few county records of this species. Last recorded in 2022 from Findern, which was the first since one in 2009 and one in 2005. One from Longdendale July 2025.
Flight Period: June /  July /  –  June and July found in and around larch (Larix) Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Graham Finch, Brian Hallam, Chrisitan Heintzen  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 August 2025 by TD ***
Wingspan: 19-22mm
Forewing: 10-12mm
Food Plant: European Larch
Last Recorded Year: 2025
Last Recorded By – Christian Heintzen
Last Recorded General Area – Longdendale (Torside)

IMAGES BELOW:  Image kindly provided by Graham Finch © / Findern – Brian Hallam© / Longdendale – July 2025 – Christian Heintzen©

Distribution Map for Eupithecia lariciata

Found 25 records
    ↳ 2 from After 2025
    ↳ 1 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 22 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 lariciata

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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.

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

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


First/Last Recorded Dates: Eupithecia lariciata
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 lariciata
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Eupithecia lariciata
AGR: -1.3%   |   Total % Change: -25%


CUSUM Analysis: Eupithecia lariciata
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 19 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 2009, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2004, 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 lariciata
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Eupithecia lariciata
( 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 lariciata – 25 records available

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

TaxonSite NameTetradYearDateCountStageSource
Eupithecia lariciataDarwin ForestSK26X202503/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia lariciataLongdendale, Torside willow and larch woodSK09U202513/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia lariciataFindern, Derbyshire, DEAZSK33A202216/06/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia lariciataFlash Lane,Beeley MoorSK26X201102/07/20112Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataSchool Close,Parkway Gardens,Darley DaleSK26R201118/07/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataWhitesprings Plantation, Darley DaleSK26X201125/06/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataWhitesprings Plantation, Darley DaleSK26X201125/06/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataSchool Close,Parkway Gardens,Darley DaleSK26R201116/05/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataFlash Lane,Beeley MoorSK26X200907/08/20091Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataFar Cross,Cavendish Park,MatlockSK36A200928/06/20093Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataSeventy Acre Woods/Flash Lane, DerbyshireSK26Y200523/06/20053adultvc57_irecords_extract
Eupithecia lariciataBeeley (Seventy Acre Wood)SK26Y200523/06/20053Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataFlash Lane,Beeley MoorSK26X200523/06/20051Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataEdgecote Drive,Newhall,SwadlincoteSK22V200403/07/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataMain St,Kings Newton,MelbourneSK32Y200401/05/20041Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataMain St,Kings Newton,MelbourneSK32Y200313/06/20031Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataMain St,Kings Newton,MelbourneSK32Y200324/05/20031Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataSpinney Hill,MelbourneSK32X200331/05/20032Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataTicknall Limeyards,TicknallSK32R199718/04/19971Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataTicknall Limeyards,TicknallSK32R199718/04/19971Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataLadycroft Ave, BuxtonSK07S199317/06/19931Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataLang Rd, Alvaston, DerbySK33R199202/10/19921Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataHell Bank Plantation, Beeley MoorSK26Z199119/05/19911Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciataHell Bank Plantation, Beeley MoorSK26Z199119/05/19911Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Eupithecia lariciatabtm of Hell Bank Plantation, Beeley MoorSK26Y197008/08/19701Larvaevc57_danes_bc_data

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