Chrysalis

Yesterday I noticed a couple of caterpillars creeping their way up the wall below the windows of the conservatory. Aha!, I said to myself, I know where those lads are headed...up to the overhang of the gutter to pupate for the winter. Wrong!
This morning, one has vanished, presumably gobbled up by a peckish bird. The other one seems to have given up the struggle half way up the window. I guess he thought the vertical face of his own personal Matterhorn to be simply too steep, so he stopped right there, did his magical trick overnight and lo and behold, this morning he is a chrysalis. Now in his pupal stage, he will remain while the miracle of nature takes place, to emerge in the springtime as an adult butterfly.
The birds will be on the lookout though so I think I will place him in the garden shed where he should be safer than half way up a window pane.

For the curious, I simply attached a piece of black card to the inside of the glass, with masking tape, donned my dark blue dressing gown which I guessed would not reflect too badly in the glass, grabbed my compact camera set to macro and blipped away merrily. I don't give a hoot what the neighboure may have thought if they saw this bizarre apparition.

Enjoy your sleep Mr.Butterfly-to-be. See you in the spring, in the meantime, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!