About Eupithecia dodoneata Guenée
Eupithecia dodoneata, commonly called the oak-tree pug, is a moth that belongs to the family Geometridae. This species is distributed across Europe extending into West Russia, including the Central Black Earth Region. It can also be found in Asia Minor, the Caucasus, and Morocco. In the Pyrenees and the Alps, it occurs at elevations up to 1000 metres. It prefers dry oak forests and mixed oak forests. The wingspan of Eupithecia dodoneata measures 19–22 mm. The ground colour of the forewings is typically light grey, and sometimes it is lightly dusted with a brownish tone. Several wavy dark grey crosslines are present, and they often occur in pairs. The outer cross line has a sharp, inward-pointing V near the front edge of the wing. In some specimens, the mid-field of the forewing is brighter, and it is framed by a thin dark band. The black median stain has an oval shape. The hindwings are slightly lighter than the forewings, and they also have several dark markings as well as a small black middle spot. Mature caterpillars are brownish, and they have very clear reddish-brown triangular spots on their backs, with the tips of the spots pointing forward. The pupa is black-brown, and the cremaster has two strong hook bristles and six thin hook bristles. Reliable identification of this species requires work by specialists, and genital morphological analysis is needed for a confirmed assignment. Adult moths fly from May to June, depending on their location. The larvae feed on species of Crataegus and Quercus.
