Larch pug moth

Scientific name: Eupithecia annulata (Hulst)
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae

Distribution

British Columbia
Newfoundland and Labrador
Ontario
Yukon

Generally distributed throughout British Columbia; it also occurs north to the Yukon, east to Newfoundland and Labrador, and south to California and Colorado.

Damage, symptoms and biology

Eupithecia annulata is a common innocuous solitary defoliator.

Mature larva up to 22 mm long. This species has two distinct morphs. The more common morph has both a green variant (more common) and a brown variant. The green variant has a green head and body with a middorsal dark green pinstripe and irregular yellow lateral stripe. The brown variant is similarly marked. The less common morph has a greenish brown, reddish brown or yellowish brown head and body; the dorsum is marked with a prominent dark arrowhead pattern, dark triangular subdorsal markings and irregular yellow lateral stripe.

This species overwinters in the pupal stage. Adults emerge from April to June; larvae are present from May to August and pupation occurs from July to August.

Canadian Forest Service Publications

Larch pug moth

Diet and feeding behaviour

Phyllophagous: Feeds on the leaves of plants.
- Free-living defoliator: Feeds on and moves about freely on foliage.

Information on host(s)

The principal hosts of Eupithecia annulata are Douglas-fir and western hemlock; other hosts include grand fir, amabilis fir, subalpine fir, Engelmann spruce, white spruce, Sitka spruce, western redcedar and mountain hemlock.

Main host(s)

Secondary host(s)

Photos

Dion Manastyrski Centre de foresterie du Pacifique, Victoria (Colombie-Britannique) / Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, British Columbia

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Larch pug moth

Distribution

Damage, symptoms and biology

Canadian Forest Service Publications

Diet and feeding behaviour

Information on host(s)

Main host(s)

Secondary host(s)

Photos