Day 300: While we normally think of introduced species as a bad thing (case in point, the Tansy Ragwort shown in this photo), introduction of a species can sometimes be beneficial if managed wisely. The Cinnabar Moth (Tyria jacobaeae) was introduced to Washington in 1960 as a biological control for Tansy (Senecio jacobaea). You see, these little yellow-and-black buggers are very specialized. They are predatory on members of the Senecio family almost entirely to the exclusion of any other food. When that food source dries up (i.e., they eat themselves out of house and home), the caterpillars turn cannibalistic, thereby controlling their own population.
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