Cinnabar Moth caterpillars are big and fat at this time of year and are easily spotted as they are almost exclusively found on Ragwort - an Buachalán Buí -... Friday, 8 March 2024 ePaper ...

Common ragwort is a native plant that is widespread ... It feeds the larvae of nine macro-moths, notably the striking cinnabar moth, and the distinctive blooms are a tremendous nectar source ...

Ragwort is also the main food source for the distinctive yellow and black striped cinnabar caterpillar, which eventually turns into the equally as impressive red and black cinnabar moth.

The Cinnabar Moth wears its warning loud and proud. This moth is found throughout Europe and was introduced in North America for weed control, since its larvae feed on ragwort, a toxic plant.

Most Moths have feathery or unclubbed antennae ... The red and black Cinnabar lays its eggs on common ragwort and you can find the yellow and black striped caterpillars in July and August.

But sharing a picture of a cinnabar moth on a Ragwort plant, Frances urged gardeners not to get rid of it straight away. She wrote: "Ragwort and cinnabar moth they go together like jam and cream.

ragwort is the principal food source of the caterpillar of the scarlet-and-black cinnabar moth (cinnabar is a bright-red mineral). Uprooting the glittering ragwort towers in the paddock feels a sort ...

Cinnebar moth is a European native that was introduced here “to battle tansy ragwort with its hungry caterpillars,” Pyle writes. It has bold red stripes and patches on a black background.