www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Dear Experts -

we've got a butterfly on a door: It could happily sit there all winter, but for the fact that this door is being replaced next week! Should I just throw this insect outside on the next warm day, or try to move it to somewhere such as the inside of a shed, or side of a tree?

Any ideas? It is a lovely thing, and I've no idea what it is. Sorry, should have put a scale there - but it's a pretty large size, a bit smaller than a cabbage white.

This is a comma (see http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species. ... es=c-album) - and yes, you should certainly put him (or more probably her - difficult to tell from this angle) out on the next flyable day. Commas hibernate among leaves, where their cryptic wing-shape and colouring provide perfect camouflage. This individual will soon find a suitable place given the opportunity and if released as soon as possible.

Guy

Thanks for the advice - she(?) has now flown off and is hopefully settling down somewhere safe for the winter. A lovely insect, I'm really glad I didn't let the wife spray her!