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This attractive moth can be found along woodland edges, allotments, and gardens, the long haired larvae, often called Woolly Bears can sometimes be found walking along pavements, on a hot sunny day, or basking in the sunshine, on low growing plants, I once found 15 young larvae hibernating in two of my father-in-laws garden frames, that he keeps his Chrysanthemums stored, the caterpillars were well protected from the winters frost. A few of these I kept for breeding. The easiest way to obtain this beautiful moth, as this species is not as common as it one was, is to join an entomological livestock group, or buy from a Butterfly farm on the web. The caterpillars feed on plants like Dandelion, Dock, Nettle, and many other hedgerow plants. In captivity they can be fed on Cabbage.
The moths which hatch in July and August, obviously gets its name from the tiger like markings on the forewings, as well as the bright orange warning colours of the hindwings which they flash when disturbed to deter predators, they can make a rasping noise with its wings and can excrete a yellow colored chemical from ducts behind its head, which is a warning to predators that it is distasteful to eat.
The reason for this moths decline in the wild is over recent years is unknown, probably because of changing weather conditions and loss of suitable habitat. Where I lived as a boy, many kids would collect the caterpillars found in untidy gardens, now you walk down that same street, with use of pesticides and electric lawn mowers, there is not one untidy garden to be seen and no weeds. I hope to breed this beautiful moth again one day for better pictures and the Woolly Bears as we called them bring back memories from my childhood.
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