Cinnabar Moths Are Perfectly Named For Their Striking Red And Black Looks

This species is so named due to the colour of the hindwings and the markings on the forewings which make it unmistakeable. There is little variation although on rare occasions the pinkish markings are replaced with yellow, or the forewing is red with a black border or the wings are completely black. Easily disturbed by day and flies in sunshine. Also flies after dark.

Maybe it's because moths are usually out at night when the lighting isn't the best (to say the least), but somehow I've always gotten it into my head that moths are the brown and boring ones, and butterflies are the pretty ones. I'm happy to be learning that such an assumption is completely wrong. I mean, if you had asked me to identify this insect with vivid red and black wings, I probably would have defaulted to butterfly.