SIX-SPOT BURNET

A beautiful Day-flying (Diurnal) moth common across europe

six-spot burnet

The Six-Spot Burnet (Zygaena filipendulaebelongs to the family Zygaenidae, a group that are primarily diurnal (day-flying) moths, and which are often vibrantly colored.

The red spots of burnet moths are a warning to predators that these beautiful moths are poisonous: they release hydrogen cyanide when attacked.

The Six-spot Burnet can be found in meadows and woodlands across Switzerland 

This species is generally seen between June and August.  It is attracted to Switzerland’s meadow and alpine flowers including Thistles, Knapweed, and Field Scabious or pincusion flowers (shown here).

Six-Spot Burnet Caterpillar
by Peter O’Connor via Flickr