Compton Tortoiseshell Butterfly

Yesterday I came across this thing as it walked along very slowly on my garage floor. Compton Tortoiseshells hibernate, and apparently this one hibernated in my garage. Picked it up and put it in the sunshine so it could warm up. It spread its wings to soak up the sun.


(Click on images to enlarge)






Its underwings are much duller:




When I went back to check on it later, it had flown away … or been eaten by a bird.