V-pug (Chloroclystis v-ata)
The V-pug is easily identified: usually green showing a thick, black V-shaped marking on the front wing. This V actually is part of a black line running across the forewing. Another characteristic is the resting pose. The V-pug is the only pug often seen resting with the wings half way up, or even completely closed above the body, the same way many butterflies keep their wings. The V-shaped marking is always visible. This can not be said of the green colour, for this quickly fades into a brownish or yellowish colour. This is very usual in almost all green Geometers.
Perhaps the adult moths can be identified easily, the larvae are very hard to name. The basic colour may be green, grey, brown or even purple brown. It usually has black triangular markings on the back and dark lines on the sides, but in many darker specimens these markings might be invisible. But even with these markings, the caterpillars are very similar to a number of others. An additional problem is that the larvae live on a great number of host plants. Identifying the host plant doesn't help much in identifying the larva. The caterpillar of the V-pug reaches a length of some 16 mm only. They mainly eat flowers and are rarely found eating leaves. They appear from April onwards and may pupate all summer long. The V-pug overwinters as a pupa underground.
In Northern Britain the V-pug is single-brooded and flies in June and July, sometimes even August. In Southern Britain and neighbouring countries on the continent it is double-brooded. Each generation appears irregularly and the two often overlap. In such cases this species is on the wing from May to September. Most individuals are seen in June and July, though. It flies from dusk to dawn. During the day sometimes seen resting on fences or walls. Comes to light in small numbers only. Common in lowland England, Wales and Southern Scotland, the Channel Isles and most of Ireland. Rare elsewhere. In most of Europe very common, but only a local species in some parts.
