It is amazing indeed. Typically, purple emperors remain like this from early November to mid-April, though they may move nearer to an appropriate bud some time in March. Adult butterflies often spend even longer in hibernation, from July or August until the end of March.David M wrote:It's incredible how they can remain in suspended animation for such a long spell.
Thanks Goldie. I spend a lot of time looking at dead leaves!
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
This morning was my first day off for ages. Up in the mountains it was brilliantly sunny but locally the valley was shrouded in freezing mist. I could see extensive frost too in many places but nevertheless cycled down to try my luck further up the valley. This was the view at Aigle station as I waited for the 10h21:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/10dec2016b.jpg)
As the train approached Martigny, however, the mist cleared and I arrived to find my winter butterfly slopes basking in sunshine. It was still cold though - about -1°C at midday - and the Queens refused to come out and play. In fact, the only butterflies I saw were red admirals:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/atalanta10dec2016a.jpg)
I checked out the clump of nettles where the female red admiral had been laying so obsessively two weeks ago and found the leaves covered in eggs:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/atalantaeggs10dec2016b.jpg)
There are four in this picture:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/atalantaeggs10dec2016f.jpg)
Some of the leaves appeared to be frost-bitten:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/atalantaeggs10dec2016a.jpg)
If the eggs hatch the caterpillars should be able to move to fresher leaves.
A few eggs were empty - by hatching or otherwise:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/atalantaeggs10dec2016e.jpg)
I didn't see any caterpillars but there were apparent signs of eating on some leaves. The caterpillars would have been very small and I didn't search very hard, so as not to endanger any of the eggs. Probably, all are doomed anyway, but where there's life, there's hope ...
I was kindly given a very tasteful Advent calendar this year, in the form of a crate of beer with a craft ale beneath each 'window'. On 1st December the treat was Stone's IPA:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/adventbeer1dec2016a.jpg)
Today's treat was a Brewdog Santa Paws:
![Image](http://www.guypadfield.com/images2016/beer10dec2016a.jpg)
Whoever came up with this idea, it is genius. I think I'll buy myself several Advent calendars next Christmas.
Guy