Comment

Comment by Avril Kirby on June 28, 2015 at 9:14am

I guess it must be. There wasn't any other bush like it in the vicinity. This is up where the CR village was going to live.

Comment by anna mccolm on June 28, 2015 at 9:06am

What a grim tale! Is that ragwort that they're eating so voraciously?

Comment by Avril Kirby on June 28, 2015 at 9:03am

They are cinnabar moth caterpillars, which have been introduced to NA to control poisonous ragwort, and then become poisonous themselves, producing an itchy rash if you touch them. They usually die at this stage because of a lack of food source, at which point they become cannibalistic. Very pretty red moth, if they do get to mature.

Comment by Avril Kirby on June 28, 2015 at 8:38am

Yes, Channel Ridge, and I've never seen them before.

Comment by anna mccolm on June 28, 2015 at 8:20am

Holy Smoke! Are they on Salt Spring?

Comment by Avril Kirby on June 28, 2015 at 7:43am