Caterpillar rescue help please!

[ollyk]

Hi folks, I was looking for my family of cinnabars on a Ragwort in our garden today when I found this fella crawling around, and looking rather lost!
Can anyone give me any idea as to what he might be so I can reunite hime with his food plant? I have tried all sorts of leaves but he is showing no interest I was wondering if he is looking for somewhere to pupate?

Any help appreciated.



Olly.

[ollyk]

Update:

He has settled on some leaves and binding them together with silk... Is this to be the beginnings of the transformation or a temporary shelter? Also will he be alright on leaves that are dying (i.e. picked)?

Olly.

[ollyk]

anyone?

[thunder]

Probably won't have the best chance on picked leaves - but all leaves die, so as long as it isn't bone dry it should have a good chance

henrya

[GuyF]

The restless behaviour and binding leaves makes it sound very much like it's about to pupate. I don't know what it is but if you keep it you can wait for it to hatch and then find out. If it is pupating then dead leaves won't make any difference to it.
Guy

[ollyk]

Thanks folks well I waited for a reply and then it came out of it's home for another wonder so I put it back outside. I didn't want it to go hungry or suffer as a result of my doing! I wonder if it detected the leaf wilting and abandened pupation?