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Currant Pug About 10mm

Forewing of Currant Pug is more rounded than the forewing of Wormwood Pug

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There is also Golden-Rod Pug which is almost identical to Grey Pug but much less common. Flight period (June to August) is different (See Hantsmoths).

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Discal spot is long, straight and narrower than in Oak-Tree Pug

Forewing is more pointed and narrower than in Oak-tree Pug

Discal spot is long, oval and wider than in Brindled Pug

Pug moths -Larentiinae  

There are a lot of pug species and many are difficult to identify. Their wing markings are similar and variable. Several species also have dark (melanic) forms - which look nothing like the normal form.

Here we just illustrate the normal forms of some of the common species.

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Common Pug                                                                                                     

A dull white spot near the trailing corner of each wing. Spot often double.

Flight period mainly May and June

Single bright white spot

2. Foxglove Pug and Toadflax Pug - brightly coloured and very similar to one another

Foxglove Pug - The outside of the central cross-band has a kink where it meets the leading edge.

Flight period May-July

Toadflax Pug - The outside of the central cross-band curves gently round to meet the leading edge.

Flight period June-August

1. Green Pug and V-Pug
Pugs which are green - although usually green when fresh these species do fade. There is another green pug, the Sloe Pug, which is becoming common in the South and Midlands and is not shown here ( See UKmoths ).

Outer cross-line is narrow and zigzags gently.

Outer cross-line is thick and has a strong V-shape pointing to the outside edge of the forewing.

Flight period May-August

rather faint white crossline near outer edge of forewing

Brighter white crossline near outer edge of forewing

Other white spots on the back of the thorax and side of the abdomen.

Flight period May-August

Flight period Mainly June and July

Green Pug                                                                          V-Pug

Two dark patches near tip of forewing

4. Oak-Tree Pug, Brindled Pug, Mottled Pug, Grey Pug and Double-Striped Pug

3. Common Pug, White-Spotted Pug, Currant Pug and Wormwood Pug

Oak-Tree Pug  Forewing 8-11mm
Late April to Early June

Brindled Pug  Forewing 10-12mm    
March to Early May

Forewing is less sharply pointed and broader than in Brindled Pug

Mottled Pug   Forewing 11-12mm
May-June

Grey Pug    Forewing 10-12mm
Mainly May and June

2 or 3 black wedges as in Oak-Tree Pug

Two wide pale streaks down each forewing towards the outer edge, cutting the crosslines

Thick central crossband curves towards trailing corner of the forewing

Cross-lines numerous and wavy

Discal spot is prominent and more rounded than in Mottled Pug

Double-Striped Pug  Mainly April-May and July-September
Fresh moths are very colourful and unmistakeable

2 Cross-lines are black edged and dominant - forming  the‘double stripes’

A lot of adults are badly worn but have still clearly more colour near the leading edge of the forewing

More colour towards the leading edge of the forewing

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long prominent discal spot

white spot at the trailing corner of forewing is bright white and often double.

dark marks along leading edge of wing

   White-spotted Pug  

Wormwood Pug  About 12mm

Usually larger than Currant Pug

white spot at the trailing corner of forewing is much less bright then in Currant Pug.