Red & Black Butterfly/moth?

rosebush88 · #1 (**permalink**) 29-07-2006, 06:51 AM

About a month ago my friends saw a small butterfly in their garden (we live in Eccles, Salford), one which they hadn't seen before. They saw it both flying and settled and described it as having about a 1 and a half inch wingspan. It was solid red with a narrow black stripe fringing the wings on the upper edge.

We've hunted and hunted for a similar one to identify it, but have had no luck. Can anyone help?

Jeanne.

Alan · #2 (**permalink**) 29-07-2006, 07:07 AM

Hi Jeanne, and welcome to WAB

If you're sure it was red and not an orangey colour it could have been a Cinnabar Moth. Look at the following link:

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ga...age-11901.html

Alan

Feathers · #3 (**permalink**) 29-07-2006, 07:07 AM

Hello Jeanne, could it have been a day-flying moth?

Two possibles that spring to mind are Ruby Tiger Phragmatobia fulginosa

http://www.habitas.org.uk/moths/species.asp?item=6150

and the Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae

http://parish-wildlife.org.uk/Photog...s/cinnabar.htm

which have reddish/black-fringed hindwings and are about the size you mentioned.

Cheers
Chris

petermallett · #4 (**permalink**) 29-07-2006, 08:12 AM

Hi Jeanne
My first thought was cinnabar moth too but there are probably many others. If you have any ragwort growing in your area you may well be able to find the cinnabar moth caterpillars now, they are orange and black. Happy hunting

Peter

danpen · #5 (**permalink**) 29-07-2006, 08:32 AM

It certainly sounds like a cinnabar, I was going through some of my shots yesterday trying to put IDs on everything and found some cinnabars in amongst lots of spotted burnets, I hadn't even noticed them at the time I was taking them. doh.

rosebush88 · #6 (**permalink**) 30-07-2006, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan

Hi Jeanne, and welcome to WAB

If you're sure it was red and not an orangey colour it could have been a Cinnabar Moth. Look at the following link:

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ga...age-11901.html

Alan

Thanks all for the suggestions and to Alan for the welcome! My friends say 'no' to the cinnabar. The orangey-red seems OK, but they definitely confirm that the red was solid (sounds odd to me, but another one was spotted in the area also described as 'all red' except for having a narrow black line on the edge of the wings'). Ah me, looks like we'll have to give up on this one!

Jeanne.

pheonix · #7 (**permalink**) 30-07-2006, 10:57 AM

i would have said one of the burnets or cinnabar, there is some variation to the wing patterns (especially if young or old and worn) so i would see which is the closest match.

tba1959 · #8 (**permalink**) 16-08-2006, 07:26 PM

Chris-
I was just visiting Ireland last week and got a very blurry shot of a small moth with black wings, three red stripes on the forward edge of the wings like sargent's stripes, and a large red patch at the rear of each wing starting at the body. It was definitely NOT a cinnabar.
I could send you the photo if you would send me your email address. Any thoughts?

Thanks

Tom Arnold
tba1959@comcast.net

Beryl · #9 (**permalink**) 16-08-2006, 07:30 PM

Sounds like the Cinnabar moth

rosebush88 · #10 (**permalink**) 17-08-2006, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tba1959

Chris-
I was just visiting Ireland last week and got a very blurry shot of a small moth with black wings, three red stripes on the forward edge of the wings like sargent's stripes, and a large red patch at the rear of each wing starting at the body. It was definitely NOT a cinnabar.
I could send you the photo if you would send me your email address. Any thoughts?

Thanks

Tom Arnold
tba1959@comcast.net

Jeanne here -- not Chris. The mystery moth I'm looking for is definitely orangey-red with no other markings except the narrow black line along the upper edge. I don't think your black one could possibly be the one do you? Perhaps a close relation?

Jeanne.