Look what I found!

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I was walking across a field when I noticed a bit of frayed binder twine stuck there among the grass. Obviously it had been left behind when the farmer baled hay earlier in the summer. I picked it up because I didn’t want a cow or sheep to accidentally eat it – not good for them at all! – or a bird to pick it up for nest building. I read recently about a study that found many birds used pieces of plastic in their nests – and ‘plastic’ includes nylon string like this – and that the chicks can get entangled or strangled in it. But when I picked it out of the grass I saw that some insect had already used it as a place to pupate. This chrysalis was attached to the strands. I don’t think it shows up too well in the photo but it was the most amazing shiny gold colour! I took it home and have kept it in our butterfly enclosure so I can watch and see what emerges. All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2025.