Cinnabar

Cinnabar moth caterpillar feeding on Ragwort flowers.

The Cinnabar moth caterpillars have conpicuous orange and black rugby jerseys. Unlike most moth caterpillars which are cryptically coloured and hard to find, the Cinnabars advertise their presence. They do this because they are loaded with toxins acquired from their ragwort food plant, and they want potential predators to know this. Because they are not being eaten, the growing caterpillars are capable of stripping the ragwort plants to a green skeleton.

Having said they are conspicuous, I have conspicuously failed to find any myself this year, while my blip-friends have been blipping away. I can thank Bern for telling me where to find these ones in Middlebarrow quarry. The intention had been to meet up this morning, but after the morning deluge we decided to leave it until another time. Temptation got the better of me though, and I went out in the drizzle to see these.

Our guests arrived late last night after an epic drive up from Devon with major delays all the way. They left mid-morning heading for the Cairngorms.

It's brightened up a little now, and we are going to a mini-blipmeet barbecue this evening at Will and Sheila's.