Cinnabar Moths

[Penny Less]

I have not seen any on the acres of ragwort locally so far this year , Im sure they have usually been about by now. Anyone got any

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

I saw hundreds of the caterpillars but only 1 actual moth so far. It flew over the top of my head though so I could easily be mistaken.

 

[rabatsa]

We have the moths and caterpillers but no ragwort. They live on the groudsel.

 

[Quigleyandme]

I haven’t seen any this year.

 

[poiuytrewq]

We had loads of caterpillars.
It was a disaster, I had lots of ragwort and struggled to pull it because the one thing I’m not good with are caterpillars ?

 

[NLPM]

We've had no caterpillars/moths this year... Unfortunately we do seem to have enough ragwort to feed every cinnabar moth in Britain.

 

[millikins]

We had loads of caterpillars.
It was a disaster, I had lots of ragwort and struggled to pull it because the one thing I’m not good with are caterpillars ?

I've not seen any this year but haven't much ragwort either. A few years back I collected as many caterpillars as I could and transferred them to the ragwort on the Common. Council came along and mowed the lot a couple of days later

 

[limestonelil]

Sorry Millikins but that made me lol. What a shame. And a splendid example of Sod's Law. I relocate snails, slugs, worms etc to safer areas too, so I really appreciate your efforts for the caterpillars.

 

[Carmen6]

They were here when it was really hot earlier on in the year. Haven't seen any since, despite the availability of the stuff they eat and beautiful sunshine, so I wonder if they have a specific breeding season?

ETA: Just looked it up. May is when the adults emerge, and then they're seen about until August. I think they're just akip.

 

[millikins]

Sorry Millikins but that made me lol. What a shame. And a splendid example of Sod's Law. I relocate snails, slugs, worms etc to safer areas too, so I really appreciate your efforts for the caterpillars.

A case of no good deed goes unpunished

 

[babymare]

This year we have seen loads ?

 

[poiuytrewq]

I've not seen any this year but haven't much ragwort either. A few years back I collected as many caterpillars as I could and transferred them to the ragwort on the Common. Council came along and mowed the lot a couple of days later

That’s an admirable thing to have done. Sorry it was a fail ?
They totally freak me out.

 

[windand rain]

We have no ragwort now but have seen a few adults about as the fields around us are covered in ragwort

 

[Fransurrey]

Seen lots of them this year.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I haven't seen any in years. There is a new wood near us that is covered in ragwort and I have never seen any caterpillars on it, most disappointing. I remember loads when I was a kid, usually on groundsel.

 

[windand rain]

Working on the principle that ragwort is not the only thing they eat I would quite happily have it obliterated from the face of the earth. I was quite happy for it to be kept to motorway embankments but to be honest I would get rid from there too

 

[SantaVera]

had a lot on the groudsel last year. not seen any this year