Cinnabar

Big electric storm overnight. Ollie and I went for a walk quite early and found this cinnabar moth in the wet grass in the shade waiting for the sun.

I've just read that the bright red mineral cinnabar, which the moth is named after, is a form of mercury sulphide. It was used as rouge in antiquity and as a pigment by the Mayans. Not very health giving. The same can be said of the moths, their colouring warns predators that they are unpalatable as the favourite food of their caterpillars is poisonous ragwort.