Tyria jacobaeae


This is the Tyria jacobaeae. It is a beautiful moth that is commonly mistaken for a butterfly as it can be found flying in the day. It is a medium sized black moth, with vibrant red markings on its wings. The hindwing are dominantly red and the forewings dominantly black with red markings with a wing span up to 46mm. It emerges May to August in the United Kingdom and, like the Tyria jacobaeae I found, these moths usually live in open grass habitats. This moth is named after the Senecio jacobaea plant as their offspring (Caterpillars) feed on the plant.