Day 24: In keeping with tradition, Thursday’s are Throw Back Thursdays, where I take a look back on what Random Acts of Wildness I did for 30 Days Wild since 2015!
In 2020 I sketched an elephant hawk moth. I got up close with dragonflies in 2019 and visited Brereton Heath Nature Reserve in 2018. I spent an hour at Sanky Valley Country Park in 2017 and made an attempt to make a moth trap in 2016. Finally, in 2015 I watched a wildlife camera.
For 2021, though the weather has taken a turn I’ll try and make a moth trap. I’ll use a white cloth and light to entice the night fliers in. For this post I shall focus briefly on a day flying moth, the cinnabar.
cinnabar moth
Due to the colouring of the cinnabar, this medium sized moth is easily confused with a butterfly. The cinnabar can fly both day and night and it’s red and black markings signal it is poisons to hungry predators. The toxin is ingested by the adult’s yellow and black caterpillar which feasts on the ragwort plant. They over winter as cocoons and emerge as adults in the summer. The cinnabar is widespread across the UK but prefers coastal habitats. Cinnabar’s are named after an ore of the metal Mercury, cinnabar was used by artists for its red pigment.
Have you spotted this moth flying where you live?
Thanks for reading, and stay wild!
Christine xx
Christine Lucas 