About Eupithecia interruptofasciata Packard, 1873
The juniper pug, also called the juniper looper, is a moth in the family Geometridae. This species was first formally described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. It is distributed across the Palearctic realm, ranging from Ireland to the Russian Far East, and is also found in the Nearctic realm. The subspecies Eupithecia pusillata interruptofasciata is sometimes treated as a separate valid species under the name Eupithecia interruptofasciata Packard, 1873. The forewings of this moth are greyish brown, and often have two distinct black cross bands. The wingspan measures 17 to 21 millimeters (0.67 to 0.83 inches). The moth’s coloration is relatively contrasting, with clearly marked light and dark cross-bands and short black longitudinal lines. It often lacks a black discal spot in the center of the wing. This species is extremely variable, but it can generally be recognized by its acutely angulated antemedian line, the whitish patch between the discal dot and the postmedian line, and dark dashes located proximally to the postmedian line. Several named forms exist: graeseriata Ratzer (synonym latoniata Mill.) is a larger, greyer form that is generally more weakly marked, though it is also variable, and is found in the Swiss Alps; anglicata H-Sch. is a whitish grey form with a characteristic appearance found on the chalk cliffs of Kent; scoriata Stgr. from Iceland is a dark, weakly-marked form. The larva has a number of short bristles and many small white warts. Its body is green; along its back, it either has a simple dark stripe or a pattern of varying bell-shaped dark brown spots. Adult moths fly at night from July to September, and are attracted to light. In the Old World, larvae feed on juniper (Juniperus) and some other conifers in the cypress family, including Chamaecyparis and Thuja. In the New World, a wider range of food plants has been recorded: besides juniper, this includes apple, clover, raspberry, redcurrant, strawberry, sunflower, and willow. The species overwinters in the egg stage.
