Eupithecia absinthiata
GEOMETER MOTH FAMILY (Geometridae)

Description
The Wormwood Pug Moth has a wingspan of about 1 inch. The forewing is pale gray and fairly devoid of markings. Usually has faint dotted lines on the costa. There is a conspicuous elongated black discal spot. The hindwing is also pale gray and unmarked. There is a black band on the second abdominal segment and small dots down the center of the abdomen. The caterpillar is green with dark brown blotchy dorsal bands.

Occurrence
The frequency of occurrence at Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods is not known. It has been photographed once at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center in late September 2015. It is a Holarctic species and is found in much of the US, Canada and Europe. Adults fly from June to October.

Comments
The larvae eat a wide variety of plants including Aster, Goldenrod and Wormwood.

Disclaimer: The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Babs Padelford.