Toxic munchers

The Ragwort is looking very fine in the fields. The cows and bullocks avoid it, it’s poisonous and would damage their livers and kill them.

On the other hand, the caterpillars of the cinnabar moth depend on it. It makes them poisonous to most potential predators (cuckoos excepted), a fact they advertise with their black and orange stripes.

Walking mid afternoon we came across lots of ragwort, and lots of caterpillars.

Warm and humid, and pretty quiet. Apart from an infrequent song thrush and chiffchaff most birds have stopped singing now the breeding season is past.