About Anticollix sparsata (Treitschke, 1828)
Anticollix sparsata, commonly known as the dentated pug, is a moth species belonging to the family Geometridae. This species was first described by Georg Friedrich Treitschke in 1828. It can be found throughout the Palearctic region, extending from Europe all the way to Japan. Its wingspan measures 20 to 26 mm. The ground color of its forewings is either light brown or grey. Most often, there are several square dark spots (usually four) along the costal edge of the forewings, though these spots can sometimes appear blurred. In the center of the forewing, there are usually two or three small triangular black spots, with no trace of a dark transverse band. The overall moth is a solid monochrome grey. Both the forewings and hindwings have small black spots along their outer edges. The larva is slender, with a green coloration on the dorsum and pale green on the abdomen, and features a narrow white lateral stripe. The larva has scattered short, bright bristles across its body. Further taxonomic details can be found in work by Prout. Adult moths are active on the wing from May to September, producing two generations per year. The larvae feed on the flowers and leaves of Lysimachia vulgaris.
