The Cinnabar Moth – Tyria jacobaeae – is a small black and red moth which is dependant on the Common Ragwort to survive. This is because it lays its eggs on the lower leaves of the plant and when the caterpillars emerge they eat their way up the plant to the top as you can see here. Poison from the plant helps to protect them from predators as it does the adult moth which can cause a rash if handled. The caterpillars, when mature, leave the plant to spin cocoons in the earth in which they hibernate before emerging in spring/summer as fully grown moths. These were seen at Martin Mere.

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