Invertebrates
Six-spot Burnet
Zygaena filipendulae
On a sunny clifftop in July, a six-spot burnet clings to a purple knapweed flower, its green-black wings and six crimson spots glowing in the light.
Overview
The six-spot burnet, Zygaena filipendulae, is a Not Evaluated day-flying moth of flower-rich grassland across Europe and parts of western Asia. Its metallic wings, crimson spots, and chemical defences make it one of the most familiar warning-coloured insects of summer grassland.
A moth that advertises its poison
Predators that try to eat a burnet moth taste cyanide-based chemicals, and the bright colours that mark it out are a lesson that many learn quickly.
Status
Not Evaluated globally, though widespread and locally common.
Six-spot Burnet: common questions
Why is the six-spot burnet poisonous?
It makes cyanide-containing chemicals in its body, and its bright warning colours advertise this to predators.
Is the six-spot burnet a butterfly?
No, it is a moth that flies by day, and unlike most butterflies it rests with its wings held in a roof shape over its body.
What does the caterpillar eat?
It feeds on bird's-foot trefoil, and spins a papery yellow cocoon on a grass stem before becoming an adult.
Where is the six-spot burnet found?
It lives in flower-rich grassland, dunes, and sea cliffs across Europe and parts of western Asia.