Cocoon in shed?
Jordan Carter
Posts: 81
I was down my allotment today and noticed what looks like a cocoon hanging from one of the wooden pieces inside my shed.
1. When can I expect it to emerge? Next year?
2. Any idea what variety it could be?
3. What is the small thing next to the cocoon?
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Posts
Hi Jordan, see if you can find it here (ignore the colour as they mostly turn brown):
http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species_family.php?name=all&stage=pupa
and here (only 759 to look through!):
http://www.ukleps.org/CommNamesAlphabetical.html
I think it's a Peacock.
The thing next to it is the old skin of the caterpillar which it cast off as it turned into the chrysalis.
PS, it could hatch anytime now - they overwinter as adults.
That looks like one of the Nympalidae family of butterflies. Some of our prettiest species.
Small Tortoiseshell butterflies overwinter like this (or as adult imagos) and emerge in the spring, to start that year's first brood. They lay on nettles, so if you haven't any in your garden,they go elsewhere. You will get only visitors to your patch, and not 'native' specimens.
It could be any one of the family of course, so look up Nympalidae Butterflies.
The small 'thing' is probably the dried-up skin of the caterpillar's last instar, (stage) just before it became a chrysalis.
Hope that helps.
Hmmm! It seems someone already answered you. I'm sorry Bob. Didn't intend to do any toe-stepping!
Wobbly