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Helpston's wildlife

Six spot burnet moth

This strikingly coloured moth can be found on the grassland sites around Helpston, including both Swaddywell Pit and Castor Hanglands. The moths have three pairs of red spots on each wing and fly during the day.

All burnet moths are extremely poisonous. Their bodies contain cyanide derivatives which are formed by the caterpillar from its food plants, stored up and passed on to the moth. These act as a deterrent to birds which learn to reject the moths as a food source.

Six spot burnets live in colonies and lay their eggs on the leaves of the birds foot trefoil.

How the moth got its name is unclear. The name burnet usually means dark brown, from the French burnette. It is also the name of a number of wild flowers, including salad burnet. Equally it may derive from the association of the moth's red spots with burning.