Nemo me impune lacessit

Nemo me impune lacessit is the Latin motto of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, the Scottish chivalrous order. It means No one attacks me with impunity, or in Scots Wha daur meddle wi me? and Cha togar m' fhearg gun dìoladh in Scottish Gaelic.

It is pretty clear why such a motto should be associated with that viciously armoured plant the Scottish Thistle. It applies equally well to the six spot burnet moth feeding on the thistle. The six bight red spots on each of the moth's fore-wings are a visual warning to predators that this moth is poisonous and tastes bad! The caterpillars of the moth feed on trefoils and vetches which contain traces of the poison cyanide. The caterpillars concentrate the toxins in their bodies and they are passed on to to the adult moth. The warning must be effective as these moths don't tend to fly off when approached, as most moths and butterflies do. This makes them relatively easy to photograph!