Larval Doings

Quick update on how His Imperial Majesty is doing in the wild, in and around Savernake.  The 2012 egg lay there was very poor, seemingly a little lower than 2011's - so very few autumn larvae. 

Larvae went into hibernation there between Oct 25th and >Nov 14th (when I found a larva still on a leaf seat pad, the latest I've found this in the wild).  Only two are hibernating next to buds this year, the majority are in forks or on scars of old twigs.  None was lost to predation during November. 

Here's a cracker -

And this is Cleopatra, a female Brimstone spotted hibernating in a small loose bramble patch in a warm, sheltered and sunny glade.  We'll be following her all the way -