Wood tiger

The wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) is highly valued by scientists because of its extreme geographic variation in hindwing coloration. This polymorphism makes it ideal for studying how warning coloration and genetics evolve in nature.

This Holarctic species is widely distributed across the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in the UK and Scandinavia. They favor habitats like meadows, woodlands, and coastal moorlands where their larval host plants grow.

The caterpillars, often referred to as woolly bears, are generalist feeders that consume a wide variety of low-growing plants. They frequently feed on plantain, dandelion, and nettle leaves.

Like many tiger moths, they use bright hindwing colors to warn predators of their unpalatable chemical defenses. They can also secrete a toxic yellow fluid from their joints when threatened by birds or ants.