Species of the Month: July 2025

Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae

July is a great time to spot this brightly coloured moth, and also their distinctive caterpillars (shown in photo below).

This moth is a day-flying species, making it easier to track down than its nocturnal cousins. The black and red markings are distinctive, as are the bright red underwings which are particularly noticeable in flight. The only potential confusion species for the adults are the Burnet moths which have the same colouring, but their markings are spots rather than the lines of Cinnabar. They can be found in lots of habitats, including gardens, meadows and woodland rides. They will also sometimes be attracted to moth traps at night.

Their black and yellow caterpillars are equally distinctive, and feed almost exclusively on Ragwort. This bright colouration deters predators and large concentrations can be found on a single plant.

This lovely species is common and widespread throughout the SEWBReC area; view a 1km distribution map here.

You can find more image and information about Cinnabar from Butterfly Conservation and NatureSpot. You can view Wales-wide distribution map here.

If you spot Cinnabar during July (or at any other time of year) please send us the record, ideally via SEWBReCORD or the LERC Wales App. Instructions on how to submit records are available here.