common pug vs small tortoiseshell

Eupithecia vulgata compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• common pug is Least Concern while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	common pug	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (动物界)	Animalia (动物界)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (节肢动物门)	Arthropoda (节肢动物门)
Class same	Insecta (昆蟲綱)	Insecta (昆蟲綱)
Order same	Lepidoptera (鱗翅目)	Lepidoptera (鱗翅目)
Family	Geometridae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Eupithecia	Aglais
Species	Eupithecia vulgata	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

common pug and small tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Order level: Lepidoptera. (鱗翅目)

Conservation Status

common pug

LC — Least Concern

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	common pug	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

common pug

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

small tortoiseshell

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (41 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

common pug

The Common Pug, <em>Eupithecia vulgata</em>, is a moth in the family Geometridae, subfamily Larentiinae, found across northern and central Europe including Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It is a small, pale gray moth with a characteristic darker central band and fine crosslines on the forewings, displaying the cryptic wing patterning typical of the Eupithecia genus. The species typically inhabits gardens, hedgerows, woodland edges, scrublands, and urban green spaces, where its larval host plants are found. The caterpillars are polyphagous and typically feed on the flowers and developing seeds of a variety of herbaceous and woody plants, including species of Asteraceae, hawthorn, and other common shrubs and herbs. Adults are nocturnal and are attracted to light, flying in one or two generations per year depending on latitude and climate. <em>Eupithecia vulgata</em> overwinters as a pupa in the soil or leaf litter. The species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List given its broad distribution and adaptability to human-modified habitats. Biological traits such as average lifespan, body size, and specific dietary preferences remain poorly documented for this species.

small tortoiseshell

小玳瑁蛱蝶(Aglais urticae)在IUCN红色名录中被列为近危(NT)物种。接近符合受威胁种标准，如无保护措施，种群可能变得脆弱。

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden