Cinnabar Caterpillars

[Chipchopper]

I have a few bits of ragwort cumming up in my mini meadow, and on them are the caterpillars of the cinnabar moth. The bright orange and black markings look like little stripy socks but really they're sending out a message, saying "hey don't eat me, I'm poisonous!"

[roopower]

Yes, eating the ragwort sees to that!

[AuntPollyGrey]

You should dig up the Ragwort, especially if you live in the country surrounded by agricultural fields. Weeds Act 1959: " The law states that you may be legally obliged to clear and prevent the spread of ragwort. Failure to do so is a criminal offence and you may face legal proceedings as a result."
Agree bit over the top for a small patch in your garden but if you have adjacent meadows it may spread to them. Its a horrible weed, poisonous to most animals when growing and its against the law for a farmer to sell hay containing Ragwort.

[Chipchopper]

Thanks for that.
It only grows to 2" not 2 ', so it never gets a chance to get to the flowering stage.
Its only poisonous to livestock if it gets into the hay, which I don't sell.
The moth grubs are doing a good job by eating it and what don't get eaten will be mown down at the end of the season

[AuntPollyGrey]

Ingestion of Tansy ragwort can ultimately lead to scarring in the liver and eventually complete liver failure. Both fresh and dried plants are poisonous. The plants are not palatable and animals will not usually eat them unless the pasture is heavily contaminated or there is little other food available. They will however eat Ragwort dried in Hay and it has the same effect as that of fresh but more palatable.