Ryde Social Heritage Group research the social history of the citizens of Ryde, Isle of Wight. Documenting their lives, businesses and burial transcriptions.
RYDE SOCIAL HERITAGE GROUP
Based at Ryde Cemetery Heritage & Learning Centre. Preserving, documenting and promoting the social history of Ryde on the Isle of Wight.
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Six Spot Burnet Moth

Six-Spot Burnet Moth Zygaena filipendulae
Six-Spot Burnet Moth Zygaena filipendulae

The six-spot burnet moth is brightly coloured and is active by day. As a result it is often mistaken for a butterfly. People generally think that moths only fly at night but in fact a number, including the six-spot burnet moth, fly by day.

It has blackish blue front wings which have a metallic shine and are patterned with the six red round spots that give it its name. The hind wings are crimson with a very narrow dark blue/black border. Its wing  span is 30–38mm. Its antennae, rather unusually for moths, are club-shaped.

This is the commonest of Britain’s day-flying Burnet moths, and is found throughout Britain, occupying meadows, woodland clearings and sea-cliffs; it flies from June to August. Most are safe from attack by hungry birds because they taste horrible and are slightly poisonous – a fact that they advertise with their bright red wing spots.

The larvae feed mainly on bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) and as Ryde Cemetery is overflowing with birds foot trefoil we have an abundance of six-spot burnet moths.

If you get the chance over the next few weeks, go along and have a moth hunt at Ryde Cemetery and you’ll identify these easily!

Sources: www.snh.gov.uk; ukmoths.org.uk;www.bbc.co.uk