Editing Slender pug (section)

==Life cycle and description==
A single brooded species, this is one of the smallest of the geometrids, with a [[wingspan]] of only 14–16&nbsp;mm. The forewing ground colour is light greyish ochreous. There are numerous curved dark fuscous striae, the veins and costa are ochreous brown. The edges of the biangulate median band form dark costal spots. The forewing has a dark ovoid discal mark. The forewings lack a tornal spot and the hindwings are whitish grey with dark striae, and a small discal spot.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Watson |first1=L |last2=Dallwitz |first2=M J |title=''Eupithecia tenuiata'' (Hübner) |url=http://www.delta-intkey.com/britin/pug/www/tenuiata.htm |website=Insects of Britain and Ireland: The Pug Moths (Lepidoptera-Geometridae) |accessdate=13 January 2019}}</ref><ref>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}}</ref> <ref>Vladimir Mironov: The Geometrid Moths of the World. In: Axel Hausmann (Hrsg.): ''The Geometrid Moths of Europe''. 1. Auflage. Volume 4: Larentiinae II. Perizomini and Eupitheciini. Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2003, {{ISBN|87-88757-40-4}}</ref>
<ref name="gb">[[Wikisource:The Moths of the British Isles Second Series/Chapter 9#230]]</ref>


It flies at night in June and July and is attracted to light and can be found by day at rest on the trunks of large sallows.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Waring |first1=Paul |last2=Townsend |first2=Martin |last3=Lewington |first3=Richard |authorlink3=Richard Lewington (artist) |title=Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland |date=2003 |publisher=British Wildlife |location=Hook, Hampshire |isbn=0-9531399-1-3 |page=106 & 141}}</ref>

===Ova===
When first laid, the eggs are cream and they change to dark red before over wintering. The 0.06&nbsp;mm eggs can be found from June to early March on willows.<ref name="amr">{{cite book |last1=Riley |first1=Adrian M |last2=Prior |first2=Gaston |last3=Wilson |first3=David |title=British And Irish Pug Moths |date=2003 |publisher=Harley Books |location=Colchester |isbn=0-946589-51-8 |pages=33–36}}</ref> The egg is laid in cracks in bark of sallow and hibernates.
[[Image:Buckler W The larvæ of the British butterflies and moths PlateCXXXIV.jpg|thumb|
140px|left|Figs 4, 4a larvae in various stages of growth]]

===Larva===
The [[larva]]e feed internally on the [[catkin]]s of male willows and externally on female catkins from February to April. They are mostly found on goat willow ([[Salix caprea|''S. caprea'']]) but also on eared ([[Salix aurita|''S. aurita'']]) and grey willows ([[Salix caprea|''S. caprea'']]).<ref name="amr"/> Fully grown, a larva is 14−16&nbsp;mm long and has a dull-green body with indistinct blackish markings along the dorsal area. The head is almost black and the first segment is marked with brown.<ref name="porter">{{cite book |last1=Porter |first1=Jim |title=The Colour Identification Guide To Caterpillars of the British Isles |date=1997 |publisher=Viking |location=London |isbn=0-670-87509-0 |page=47}}</ref>

===Pupa===
Pupation is in a tough cocoon on the soil surface or among fallen catkins in May and June.<ref name="amr"/> It takes approximately six weeks.<ref name="porter"/>