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Tyria jacobaeae

Tyria jacobaeae is also called the cinnabar moth. It's red and black, and seen in daytime. Found around the world. It looks somewhat like this drawing.

This moth mainly uses the somewhat toxic ragwort, Jacobaea vulgaris, for survival. This picture shows a ragwort in early summer.

And in summer with full flowers.

And when the small Tyria jacobaeae has laid eggs on the plant, and larvae starts eating it, we can see these striped beauties. In this image the stripes look black and yellow, but they are more often black and orange.

During winter the larvae turn to cocoons on the ground, and continue their journey next year.