Flower child

5th instar baby Brimstone tucking into an Alder Buckthorn flower, one of its 2 food plants.
Soon it, and its fellow 5th instars will stop eating and find a place to pupate.
They will spin a silken pad from the cremaster at the base of their tails to hold themselves in place, and then a silken girdle.
Next the final caterpillar skin is shed and the transformation is underway.
Enzymes and hormones are turned on or off, parts absorbed, other parts reformed in the incredible process of metamorphosis.
After about 2 weeks of apparent stillness, the work is done and I anxiously await eclosion. Sometimes I even manage to see the new butterfly emerge from the chrysalis, but they are sneaky and often wait until my back is turned.
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[Linda Godwin]

Great explanation of such a magnificent transformation!! Flower child is a apt name for the hungry cat.Wonderful details

[Steve Jacob]

Excellent capture

[Jesika]

@rontu @stevejacob 2 baby Brimstones are now in position to pupate and a third is searching for a suitable spot. All 10 should have pupated by end of next week

[Janet]

I planted a buckthorn in 2019 and this year we had eggs! I watched the caterpillars grow and suddenly they have all disappeared - eaten, I fear. Good luck to your brood this year!

[Jesika]

@janturnbull I bring them inside when they reach 2nd or 3rd instar and therefore more visible. Of my 16 April eggs, 10 came in. One sadly failed to pupate, one is thinking about pupating. One is wandering around looking for a suitable place and 7 have pupated. The May babies will come in next week I think.
Sad to hear yours disappeared but attrition in the insect world is alarmingly high.