No wonder the birds don’t fancy eating them and the Ragwort in the fields is teeming with these brightly coloured caterpillars of the Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae), a moth which can be seen flying amongst the grasses during the daytime, especially when disturbed. Please see the adult last in line below.
Local field, July 2019. Nikon D7200 © Peter Hillman.
Nature Journeys 
Very fancy caterpillars…they look like a scratchy swallow for any interested birds.
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They sure would not be good to swallow for the birds, for they are apparently poisonous to them, too.
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Wow – such vivid colors.
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Thank you Peggy. They sure are!
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Not your drab caterpillar and the moth does not disappoint either.
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You can’t miss either of them out in the fields, that’s fir sure.
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I can’t remember ever seeing a caterpillar with so few hairs. Ours seem either to be smooth, or densely hairy. Of course, my experience is limited.
That adult is so handsome — it reminds me of the Yeoman Warders. Is there a historical link in there, somehow? Jacobean fabrics traditionally are red and black, and I see the moth’s specific epithet makes a Jacobian reference.
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There may well be a fabric link within the Latin name. One to Google.
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Pete, is it still ok with you if I use your images from time-to-time with the usual credit? (Nothing in particular right now – just for future reference). Cheers.
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Yes. By all means Liz 🙂 Thank you.
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Wow…beautiful macros, Pete. I really like the adult!
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Thank you very much Sandy! 🙂
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Sure!
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What a transformation… the caterpillar and the adult are lovely!
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Thank you Indira 🙂 Nature can be quite remarkable.
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Beautiful pictures! I like the extravagant look of the caterpillars and the moth is very nice too. As it seems he’s had enough of yellow and black then. Always something new in the world of fashion 😉
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Ha, yes the adult moth has lost its yellow 🙂 Thank you very much for your lovely comment 🙂
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You’ve just answered a query that cropped up on the way to the allotment last night. Spotting ragwort (lacking in stripey caterpillars) I remembered being appalled by them (the caterpillars that is) as a child, when coming upon ragwort that was crawling in them, which then made me wonder what they turned into. So thanks for the ID. The moths are very lovely. I allso noted the Common marbled carpet moth that’s in ‘related’ below. Thanks for the ID on that too. We presently have one in the bedroom.
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As a child I too was quite put off by these caterpillars which I saw on the Ragwort wherever it grew, but was quite fascinated, too.
I do like the Common Marbled Carpet. They can be quite variable, but I have yet to see one this year, which is quite unusual, so enjoy the one in your bathroom Tish 🙂
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Strikingly handsome!
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Just what we need… fresh protein! Yuk!! Great shots!
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Thank you Dwight 🙂
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Stunning caterpillars, great macros.
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Thank you very much Susanne 🙂
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I have lots of them on two dusty miller plants in the back garden. I was entranced by the moths but the caterpillars are almost alarming. They’re devouring the plants and I am wondering whether I ought to be rehoming them in the wild.
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They do tend to strip the plants virtually dwn to skeletons. You could rehome provided they go to the correct food plant.
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Thought a hairy scary yellow spider was about to put in an appearance then saw these cute caterpillars.
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Lol! 🙂
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They are so very stripy, like ragwort-munching tigers. Ragwort itself is an interesting plant that supports 77 insect species, according to the NT, and apparently there’s 14 species of fungi associated with it too.
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Those are very fascinating facts about Ragwort which I didn’t know, Adele! Thank you for sharing. I guess I got another 76 insect species to look for next time I am out in the fields 🙂
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This looks a lot like our Monarch Butterfly Caterpillar! Missing the white strips that go with the black and yellow!
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