See updated information on the Cinnabar Moth and caterpillar. The bright colours of both The Cinnabar caterpillar and the red and black adult moth are thought to be a warning to predators that they are distasteful. The caterpillars are most often found on Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) which is poisonous to some animals such as horses and in some countries the caterpillars have been introduced to control the plant. The caterpillars obtain a bitter alkaloid taste from their food plant making them too distasteful for predators such as birds to eat.
For other caterpillars see British moth caterpillars gallery
5 Responses
mick
Loads of these in my garden in pudsey, w yorks. Worryingly, found a couple in the house too. The cats must have brought them in
jade
my nice has got lots in her garden in rotherham
Taran
Found several plants overrun and nearly stripped bare at Nea Meadows, Highcliffe, Dorset. Now I know what they are, although have never spotted the adult moth yet!
Lisa O'Neill
*had…typo combined with predictive text.
Lisa O'Neill
Our neighbour’s garden has loads of these caterpillars (Stockport, Cheshire) and I recognise the adult moth as we’ve gadgets them in our garden a couple of years ago.