Eupithecia distinctaria

{{Short description|Species of moth}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Eupithecia distinctaria (NH266) (14543211816).jpg

| image_caption =

| image2 = Thyme Pug Moths of the British Isles.jpg

| image2_caption = Illustration depicting an unusually brown (Western) specimen

| genus = Eupithecia

| species = distinctaria

| authority = Herrich-Schäffer, 1848{{cite web |last=Yu |first=Dicky Sick Ki |url=http://www.taxapad.com/local.php?taxonidLC=82856781 |title=Eupithecia distinctaria Herrich-Schaffer 1848 |website=Home of Ichneumonoidea |publisher=Taxapad |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325044314/http://www.taxapad.com/local.php?taxonidLC=82856781 |archive-date=25 March 2016}}

| synonyms =

• Eupithecia albifronsata Graslin, 1863
• Eupithecia heydenaria Staudinger, 1870

}}

Eupithecia distinctaria, the thyme pug, is a moth of the family Geometridae.

It is found throughout Europe.{{cite web|url=http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/geometroidea/geometridae/larentiinae/eupithecia/index.html#distinctaria |title=Eupithecia distinctaria|publisher=funet.fi|author=Markku Savela|accessdate=26 January 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www2.nrm.se/en/svenska_fjarilar/e/eupithecia_distinctaria.html |title=Eupithecia distinctaria|author=Bert Gustafsson|date=9 March 2009|publisher=Naturhistoriska riksmuseet|accessdate=26 January 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hantsmoths.org.uk/species/1843.php |title=Thyme pug (Eupithecia distinctaria) |author=Mike Wall|publisher=Hants Moths|accessdate=26 January 2013}}

from Ireland, Britain and the Iberian Peninsula through western and central Europe then East to Russia (Volga-Don, East Caucasus, Western Caucasus, Kaliningrad) and Iran.{{smallcaps|Mironov, V. & U. Ratzel}}, 2012: New species of the genus Eupithecia Curtis (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Larentii-nae) from Iran. Zootaxa 3580: 56-68. Abstract: [http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2012/f/z03580p068f.pdf] In the north the range reaches as far as the southern Fennoscandia, to the south, where it is more common, it occupies the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. It is found primarily on warm, stony slopes and rocky structures as well as on sparse grassy areas with thyme mounds. In the Alps, it rises to heights of 2000 metres.

The wingspan is 16–20 mm{{cite web|url=https://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=3498 |title=Thyme pug (Eupithecia distinctaria)|author=Ian Kimber|publisher=UKMoths|accessdate=7 May 2017}} The forewing ground colour is clear ash grey with or without an admixture of brownish. There is a dark costal patch and a very conspicuous black discal spot. The colour is darker towards the outer margin and there is a fine white wavy post discal line. The hindwings are pale, suffused darker brown at the outer margin. There is also a small fine black discal spot near the costal margin.sextiata Mill, is a lighter grey or whitish, rather strongly marked southern form, best known from Southern France.[http://delta-intkey.com/britin/pug/www/disticta.htm Full description of Eupithecia distinctaria] Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. British insects: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae. Version: 29 December 2011.Prout, L. B. (1912–16). Geometridae. In A. Seitz (ed.) The Macrolepidoptera of the World. The Palaearctic Geometridae, 4. 479 pp. Alfred Kernen, Stuttgart.[https://archive.org/details/macrolepidoptera1216seit pdf ] {{PD-notice}}Vladimir Mironov, Axel Hausmann, David Wilson The Geometrid Moths of Europe, Volume 4 Larentinae II (Perizomini and Eupitheciini) E J Brill Riley, A.M. and Prior, G. British and Irish Pug Moths A Guide to their Identification and BiologyApollo Books {{ISBN|978-0-946589-51-7}}

Image:Buckler W The larvæ of the British butterflies and moths PlateCXXXIII.jpg

Last instar caterpillars are smooth and slender. They are mostly greenish colored and show a wide red back stripe. Sometimes monochrome red specimens appear. With these colours, they are superbly camouflaged on the flowers of their food plants.

The moth flies in June and July resting on stones by day.

Unsurprisingly, the larvae feed on thyme (Thymus (plant) spp.).Wikisource:The Moths of the British Isles Second Series/Chapter 9#229