Where are the Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars?

[Grimalkin]

I have a small front lawn which I leave for Mother Nature to do with as she wills each year, much to the chagrin of my lawn proud neighbours.

Each year several ragworts grow happily and then suddenly are covered in caterpillars and are stripped bare in days.

This year however, no caterpillars, nothing

Is it just my garden or is there a problem with the Cinnabar Moth's lifecycle this year?

[Kayleigh]

I grow ragwort too but have not seen Cinnabar caterpillars for years.
I did see 1 moth about 2 years back I hope they are not in decline they are beautiful things.

[Dogghound]

Loads around up here. Cinnabar like most other caterpillar species are prone to having heavily fluctuating population levels at a local scale. The reason for this is largely due to the wide variety of parasites which prey on the caterpillars (11 on cinnabar I think). This is probably the simple reason why you are not seeing many, next year you could be over-run with them.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Been a very good year for Cinnabar caterpillars round Surrey and London at least.

Cheers,

Adam

[Deb London]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Loads around up here. Cinnabar like most other caterpillar species are prone to having heavily fluctuating population levels at a local scale. The reason for this is largely due to the wide variety of parasites which prey on the caterpillars (11 on cinnabar I think). This is probably the simple reason why you are not seeing many, next year you could be over-run with them.

This is interesting. There are valleys and ridges in this part of London. I have searched one valley and two ridges to find none. And then walked into the next valley and found them. I just couldn't understand why there wouldn't be at least a thin spread of them throughout. This explains why some areas do much better than others.

There were lots near Paxton Pits a few weeks ago.

[matt_xyz]

Lots of cinnabar caterpillars around my local sites in Leicestershire this year.

Matt