Cinnabar moth

Butterflies and moths are notoriously difficult to photograph because the will fly off.

Alan and I pursued this beautiful red and grey cinnabar moth for some time and I managed to get a pic .  .  .  .

.  .  .  .  and then crop it,      so it's a bit fuzzy.

But what a contrast with the ragwort-eating caterpillars in their yellow and black striped jerseys.  Here on ragwort buds.

While the cinnabar moth caterpillars feed on the leaves of ragwort, the flowers are great pollen and nectar sources for lots of other insects but we have to pull them up so the seeds don't travel to neighbouring farmers' fields.

We wait till the caterpillars are finished with them, and then ease them out roots and all with the help of a fork.

We probably miss some but anyway we aim to control the ragwort, not eliminate it.