Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Red Cannibal

[Cinnabar Moth - photographed near Buckland, Buckinghamshire]

This is not a butterfly but a moth. For those who may be interested it is in fact a Cinnabar Moth (Tyria jacobaeae) so called because of its bright cinnabar-red wings. Apparently the bright red colour is meant to deter predators and, in any case, they are allegedly very unpalatable. I wouldn't know: I've never tried to eat one.
It doesn't seem to stop them devouring each other, though, at least while they are in the larvae stage.
Strange world we live in!

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