Valerian Pug - Geometridae - Eupithecia valerianata - Rowan Wakefield
70.181 BF1821  – Valerian Pug  – Eupithecia valerianata  –  (Hübner, 1813)
Adult Macro:  CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species – Good photographs may be required – Can be confused with other species      
PDF Icon – click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines

Brown –  Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant    
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.
ID pointers: The wavy zig-zagged outer cross-line is diagnostic. Also a distinct white spot at trailing corner of forewing and hindwing, sometimes these features are faint or even absent. These features help to distinguish from other grey-brown weakly marked pugs.
Distribution:  (Last record: 25 June 2025 at Cromford )  –  Uncertain and probably rare and locally distributed in Derbyshire.. most recent record is of one trapped at Cromford overnight on 25th June 2025. Only single records in previous 3 years. Maybe under recorded.
General Comment: None
Flight Period: June /  July –  June – July Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Rowan Wakefield, Clive Ashton  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Wingspan: 16-20mm
Forewing: 8-10mm
Food Plant: Common Valerian.
Last Recorded Year: 2025
Last Recorded By – Clive Ashton
Last Recorded General Area – Cromford

Selected Images:  Image by Rowan Wakefield © – trapped overnight at Buxton / Cromford 25/6/2025 – Clive Ashton©



Temporal Distribution Chart
Adults: (between 1925 - 2025)  |  Immatures: (between 1912 - 2013)
(click legend below to show/hide datasets)
This chart summarises all available historical occurrence records collated by ISO week of the year. It reflects recorder effort and sampling distribution as well as true biological activity, and should be interpreted as an indicative pattern of seasonal occurrence rather than a statistically controlled abundance or phenology model.

Distribution Map for Eupithecia valerianata

Found 23 records
    ↳ from 2026+
    ↳ 4 from 2020 - 2025
    ↳ 19 from Before 2020
Flying
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

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.

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.


NBN Atlas UK Distribution for – Eupithecia valerianata

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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.

Visit NBN Site


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

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

First/Last Recorded Dates: Eupithecia valerianata
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 valerianata
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Eupithecia valerianata
AGR: 0%   |   Total % Change: 0%

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

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Eupithecia valerianata

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 2020-2026.

Records Behind the Map and Charts - Eupithecia valerianata – 23 records available

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

Site Name Tetrad Date Count Stage Recorder Source RecordKey
upper cromford garden SK25Y 25/06/2025 1 adult Ashton, Clive vc57_irecords_extract iBRC42679906
Ladycroft Ave, Buxton SK07S 27/05/2024 1 adult Orridge, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC36182399
Ladycroft Ave, Buxton SK07S 13/08/2023 1 adult Orridge, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC36186254
Ladycroft Ave, Buxton SK07S 08/07/2022 1 adult Orridge, Steve vc57_irecords_extract iBRC36186249
Repton (site not precise) SK32B 22/05/2013 5 Larvae H.C. Hayward vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001WPNQP
Clough Wood,South Darley SK26K 08/08/2009 5 Larvae B.L. Statham vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001OKPGJ
Mercaston Marsh Zone , Mercaston, Brailsford SK24R 11/06/2003 1 Adult Dave Budworth;M.J. Williams;R. Williams vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001OJI6I
Mercaston Marsh Zone , Mercaston, Brailsford SK24R 11/06/2003 1 Adult Dave Budworth;M.J. Williams;R. Williams vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001WOT7P
Clough Wood,Darley Dale SK26K 26/06/1990 1 Adult B.L. Statham vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001OHKTV
Clough Wood,Darley Dale SK26K 26/06/1990 1 Adult B.L. Statham vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001WQ539
Coombs Dale,Stoney Middleton SK27H 02/08/1986 30 Larvae B.L. Statham vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001OISA5
Repton (site not precise) SK32B 08/06/1925 1 Adult VC57 Derbyshire Recorder vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001OJHKO
Repton (site not precise) SK32B 01/06/1925 2 Adult VC57 Derbyshire Recorder vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001OJHKM
Repton (site not precise) SK32B 01/07/1924 50 Pupae VC57 Derbyshire Recorder vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001OJHKD
Repton (site not precise) SK32B 22/05/1913 5 Larvae VC57 Derbyshire Recorder vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001OHDE1
Repton (Osier beds, site not precise) SK32B 01/07/1912 1 Larvae VC57 Derbyshire Recorder vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001OJHIQ
Willington, Derby (site not precise) SK22Z 01/01/1904 1 Adult [VC57 Recorder] vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001TAGBR
Kedleston Park, Derby (site not precise) SK34A 01/01/1895 1 Adult [VC57 Recorder] vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001TAGGO
Egginton, Burton on Trent (site not precise) SK22U 01/01/1885 1 Adult [VC57 Recorder] vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001TAGAT
Repton Shrubs, Repton SK32B 01/01/1885 1 Adult [VC57 Recorder] vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001TAGCA
Repton Shrubs, Repton SK32B 01/01/1885 1 Adult G. Baker vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001WPQ2W
Derby (site not precise, wetland assumed) SK33N 01/01/1885 1 Adult [VC57 Recorder] vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001TAGG6
Repton (site not precise) SK32B 01/01/1881 1 Adult [VC57 Recorder] vc57_danes_bc_data LC000334001TAGD4

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