It begins

5th instar April baby Brimstone preparing to pupate.
It's anchored by a silken pad at the cremaster (base of tail) and is now spinning the girdle which will support the body during the pupal stage.
Enzymes and hormones are already being turned on and off, effecting changes in body shape. The legs are short and fat and the body is also shorter and fatter.
Although not visible in this shot, the wings "buds" are present, indeed have been since the caterpillar emerged from the egg.
After the exertions of prepartion, there will be a period of rest and then even more hard work as the final larval skin is shed revealing the shape of the pupa.
After about 2 weeks, the imago (adult) will eclose (hatch). Wth luck I'll see and photograph at least one of the the 10!
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10th June 2021 10th Jun 21