Eye-popping cinnabar moth spotted in West Sussex seaside town: photo shows striking colours on insect on ‘priority species’ list

Tracey Goodley contributed the picture that shows the black and red beauty resting on some stones.

The Wildlife Trusts have described the moths on their website.

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They said: “The cinnabar is slate-black with two red spots and two pinky-red stripes on the rounded forewings. Its hindwings are pinky-red and bordered with black. It can be distinguished from the similar burnet moths by its broader wings and red bars instead of spots.”

They added: “The cinnabar is named after the red mineral, Cinnabar, an ore of the metal Mercury.”

The moth is widespread but has Priority Species conservation status, which the government defines as being ‘of principal importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity in England’.