Mrs B number 2 by jesika2

Mrs B number 2

After Mrs B visited on Wednesday, leaving 42 eggs, I put a bird net round the Alder Buckthorn in the hope that it would also discourage another visit. It didn't work, I now have so many eggs that in mid May I shall have to relocate at least 3/4 of the caterpillars
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Lovely shot
April 24th, 2020  
Great shot.
April 24th, 2020  
wonderful detail :)
April 24th, 2020  
Wow - they really like that Buckthorn! Not a bad problem to have.
April 25th, 2020  
Hope all the eggs hatch and caterpillars survive. I haven't seen any brimstone butterflies yet this year
April 25th, 2020  
@milaniet Actually it's a REALLY big problem. The tree is tiny, can support no more than 20/30 to pupation. The nearest supply of "baby food" is 7 miles away. I suppose I could walk & take most of them with me (Ha ha!) or risk a drive. Choices are few, allow them to starve or relocate. My understanding is that if the drive takes less time than the exercise it is allowable. The estate is 1000s of acres so I'd be away hours after a 15 minute drive.
j
April 25th, 2020  
@oldjosh Hope you see them soon, you certainly will after the end of May. I'll have to drive 7 miles to relocate them and then play in the forest for a few hours. Hopefully that will be allowed.
j
April 25th, 2020  
@sandradavies @annepann @koalagardens Thank you, I had really hoped NOT to have another visit, there are too many eggs now & the tiny tree can't support them all.
j
April 25th, 2020  
lovely capture ...the wings look like leaves
April 25th, 2020  
@pdulis thank you, the shape of the wings and the colour, especially of the female, makes them very difficult to spot if you don’t see where they land.
April 25th, 2020  
Lovely capture, hope you can relocate the excess.
April 25th, 2020  
@merrelyn a 7 mile drive away and then Tilly & I can spend hours wandering through the forest. Thank you
April 25th, 2020  
Beautiful shot!
April 25th, 2020  
@rhoing many thanks, I wasn’t expecting a second Mrs B
April 25th, 2020  
Great capture
April 26th, 2020  
Well I reckon the relocation is a 'necessary journey' Go and take your daily exercise there - I can't see that is a problem for anyone!
April 26th, 2020  
@julienne1 I fully agree, and it's an environmental rescue mission. Yet another Mrs B found my little tree today...
April 26th, 2020  
@bkbinthecity Thank you very much
April 26th, 2020  
@sandradavies @annepann @koalagardens @milaniet @oldjosh @merrelyn @rhoing @julienne1 a sad update. Over 50% of the eggs have fallen foul of small predators. Given that normal unprotected attrition is in area of 99% I suppose it’s ok. 15 eggs are now inside, and a very few remain outside. Finding caterpillar food is now unlikely to be a problem
May 5th, 2020  
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