Cinnibar Moth Caterpillar

Nature Spot

Cinnibar Moth caterpillars look like tiny hazard warning tapes sending a signal to birds that they’re not for eating. They don’t taste nice and contain poisons.

The cinnabar moth lays its eggs on Ragwort, a very common plant that I see everywhere but I didn’t know it contains alkaloid poisons.

These caterpillars feed solely on ragwort and absorb the poison into their bodies. They eat so voraciously that they completely strip the plants which then die.

The adult moth is similarly brightly coloured – red and black this time.