Red butterfly

[ellie2cats]

Yesterday I saw the most lovely red butterfly.  It was a deep fuchsia red and quite stunning.  I was only about 1 and 1/2 inches wing span but I couldn't  find it in my butterfly book,  Any ideas ? and is it rare as I have never seen a truly red one before.  No markings, just pure red.
Thanks

[ellie2cats]

[Flighty]

Elle could it have been a cinnabar moth which has all red hind wings?
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/cinnabar_moth.htm

[ellie2cats]

Thanks Flighty for the suggestion of the Cinnabar moth,  Afraid not. The colour is right but this was a true butterfly with its wings wide open.  I shall keep looking and if I go to the same place again I shall have to take my camera. Fingers crossed.
Thanks again
Ellie.

[Flighty]

Ellie in that case it's worth contacting  Butterfly Conservation with the details to see what they have to say as it may be really rare or unusual!
http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/

[ipt8]

I guess its an escapee from captivity.

[Toadspawn]

I would agree with the suggestion that it is a Cinnebar moth. This is one of the moths which is seen flying during the day. It will also rest with its wings open just like a butterfly. The caterpillars are very distinctive black and yellow and usually feed on Ragwort and Groundsel.

[antipodes]

How strange! I saw exactly the same thing here in France! Last week, in among my potatoes, a most beautiful scarlet butterfly, quite small, about 3 or 4 cm wide, I had never seen one like it.
Maybe it was a Cinnabar moth: looked similar to http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Tyria_jacobaeae_%28ento-csiro-au%29.jpg/220px-thumb.jpg