Common pug

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The common pug (Eupithecia vulgata) is a small moth in the Geometridae family. It is found across the Palearctic region, including Europe, the Near East, and North Africa, from Ireland and Portugal to the Middle East, Central Asia, and Korea. The wingspan is about 18–21 mm. Its forewings come in many colors—from brown to pale—with dark lines and small pale marks; the hindwings have a similar but lighter pattern. The caterpillar (larva) is long and slender, grayish-green or light brown, with darker rhomboid spots on its back. The pupa is reddish brown with olive-green wing coverings. There are two generations each year, with adults flying at night in May–June and again in August. The moth is attracted to light and can live in many habitats, such as forest edges, hedges, embankments, gardens, and parks, even up to about 1500 meters in the Alps. The larvae feed on a variety of plants, and the species overwinters as a pupa.