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something eating ragworth

  • 31-08-2011 11:16pm
    #1
    keep going
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,551 ✭✭✭


    a neighbour has a few horses and if the the grass gets strong he gets my cattle in to graze it.i was looking at my cattle the other day in there and i noticed the ragworth was grazed,panic stations as i thought my cattle were eating it.but on closer examination i noticed a little caterpillar about an inch long with yellow and black hoops on all the ragworth stalks.is it possible that it is eating it or should i get my cattle out of there.if it is eating reckon im going breeding them as i would make a fortune in this country at the moment:)


Comments

  • #2
    nilhg
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,164 ✭✭✭nilhg


    It's the caterpillar of the cinnabar moth, no need to panic:D


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnabar_moth


    Might be no harm for the neighbour to get rid of the ragworth though.


  • #3
    weefarmer
    Registered Users Posts: 141 ✭✭weefarmer


    nilhg wrote: »
    It's the caterpillar of the cinnabar moth, no need to panic:D


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnabar_moth


    Might be no harm for the neighbour to get rid of the ragworth though.

    I seen a lot of these today, do they eat the ragwort or damage it?


  • #4
    Bizzum
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,034 ✭✭✭Bizzum


    weefarmer wrote: »
    I seen a lot of these today, do they eat the ragwort or damage it?

    The Cinnabar Moth is a common enough sight. Little beauties they are too. I've only ever seen the caterpillars on ragwort, indeed I've seen them leave nothing only the 'skeleton' of the plant.
    Both caterpillar and moth are very colourful!


  • #5
    weefarmer
    Registered Users Posts: 141 ✭✭weefarmer


    Must checj up and see if I could find out how to breed these! Could beat the recession..


  • #6
    JohnBoy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,342 ✭✭✭JohnBoy


    Supposedly some ag college in the uk is looking into breeding dock beetles, so why not ragwort catterpillars?


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  • #7
    jmrc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 209 ✭✭jmrc


    I think ragworth is only dangerous once the plant is dead or withered, ie in Hay.


  • #8
    whelan1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭whelan1


    jmrc wrote: »
    I think ragworth is only dangerous once the plant is dead or withered, ie in Hay.
    cattle wont eat it in hay as its dead... its when its dying or when its fermented in silage that it is palatable


  • #9
    KatyMac
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,209 ✭✭✭KatyMac


    They are great little creatures. I've seen them on the ragwort I pulled over the summer, trouble is, you might feel guilty that you are destroying their habitat!!!!


  • #10
    whelan1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,786 ✭✭✭✭whelan1


    was keeping an eye out today , only saw bees on mine and no leaves eaten at all:rolleyes:


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