Welcome Cinnabar Moth
Many of us have noticed our old friend the Cinnabar Moth at the allotments recently. The moth was originally named after the bright red mineral ‘cinnabar’ once used by artists as a red pigment in painting.
Cinnabar moths are day-flying insects and, like many other brightly coloured moths, are unpalatable to predators such as birds.
The moth lays its eggs in large batches on the underneath of poisonous ragwort leaves. Newly hatched larvae feed on the ragwort and also smaller plants such as groundsel (both weeds), stripping them completely bare. The larvae absorb toxic and bitter tasting substances from these plants, becoming unpalatable themselves in the process.
Initially, the larvae are pale yellow, but develop into striking and distinctive black and gold striped caterpillars. They can grow up to 30mm, and are voracious eaters. Look out for these caterpillars from July to September when they will be helpful in eating weeds on your plot.
Often very few survive to the pupal stage, mainly due to them completely consuming the food source before reaching maturity.
The caterpillars overwinter as pupa in a cocoon under the ground. The adult moths emerge around mid-May and are on the wing up until early August, during which time males and females will mate and eggs are laid.
The moth has proven to be particularly successful as a bio-control for ragwort in the US. Unfortunately, in the UK, due to ragwort clearance programs, the Cinnabar moth population has declined by up to 83% in the last 35 years.
Cinnabar moths are day-flying insects and, like many other brightly coloured moths, are unpalatable to predators such as birds.
The moth lays its eggs in large batches on the underneath of poisonous ragwort leaves. Newly hatched larvae feed on the ragwort and also smaller plants such as groundsel (both weeds), stripping them completely bare. The larvae absorb toxic and bitter tasting substances from these plants, becoming unpalatable themselves in the process.
Initially, the larvae are pale yellow, but develop into striking and distinctive black and gold striped caterpillars. They can grow up to 30mm, and are voracious eaters. Look out for these caterpillars from July to September when they will be helpful in eating weeds on your plot.
Often very few survive to the pupal stage, mainly due to them completely consuming the food source before reaching maturity.
The caterpillars overwinter as pupa in a cocoon under the ground. The adult moths emerge around mid-May and are on the wing up until early August, during which time males and females will mate and eggs are laid.
The moth has proven to be particularly successful as a bio-control for ragwort in the US. Unfortunately, in the UK, due to ragwort clearance programs, the Cinnabar moth population has declined by up to 83% in the last 35 years.
Submitted by Jane, plot 9
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