Story: Poisonous plants and fungi

Ragwort plant and cinnabar moth

Ragwort plant and cinnabar moth

Ragwort is a highly toxic pasture weed, causing liver damage in cattle and horses. The cinnabar moth was introduced in 1929 as a biological control against the plant. Over the years its caterpillars, which feed on ragwort leaves, have managed to control the spread of the plant in some parts of New Zealand.

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Natural Sciences Image Library of New Zealand
Reference: In0370Rbt.tif
Photograph by Dick Roberts

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How to cite this page:

Maggy Wassilieff, 'Poisonous plants and fungi - Animals and poisonous plants', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/9790/ragwort-plant-and-cinnabar-moth (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Maggy Wassilieff, published 24 Sep 2007