Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae)

This summer is the first time I have seen these red and black "Cinnabar Moths". Apparently they were introduced into the USA as the caterpillar stage of this moth eats invasive ragwort weeds. It was named Cinnabar for the red patches on its wing that resembles the cinnabar mineral's color.

I read an excellent, in-depth New Yorker Magazine article: How Pandemics Wreak Havoc—and Open Minds. The article discusses how previous pandemics such as The Black Death, which lead to the Renaissance, can usher in an era growth and change in cultures. It gave me a feeling of hope.