Bordered pug


The bordered pug is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found across the Palearctic region and the Near East.
This is an easily recognisable species, mainly due to the combination of colours and its large size relative to most other pugs. Typically this moth has whitish forewings with broad dark grey margins or suffused with brown margins. It is very variable, however, and can be nearly all white or nearly all grey. There is a small dark-coloured discal spot. The hindwings are similar in colour with a small discal spot. The abdomen is conspicuously patterned. It is grey, with a white base.
The species flies at night from early June to late August and is attracted to light.
The larva is reddish brown with black markings and usually feeds on the foliage of mugwort, although it has also been recorded feeding on Angelica, bilberry, tansy and yarrow. The species overwinters as a pupa.