Saving the Catepillars

[Shortie]

The opposite of pests.....

I recently discovered some red eggs on my runner bean leaves and thought they were spiders eggs as it's quite late in the season. Anyway, yesterday I spotted some teenie weenie furry caterpillars - egg mystery solved.

I'm quite happy for them to have the plant as I've had a lot of beans off it now, and it's coming towards the end of it's time so I'm happy to sacrifice the rest.

The question is, the weather will soon turn - what can I do to help them survive the winter? I was thinking of keeping the runners in situ instead of pulling them down as they might eventually make their chrysalis's amoung the plants, but as the leaves die, would the become too exposed?

Also, any idea what butterfly/moth lays eggs this time of year with red eggs and furry catepillars? Or could it be absolutely anything?

[multiveg]

I have seen some overwintering boxes for the various invertebrates - bees, lacewings, ladybirds, and now even butterflies (whatever their lifestage), in the Organic Gardening Catalogue. Our toilet outflow pipe has a butterfly dangling underneath it in our bathroom!

Perhaps you could cut down the runners and put them in a sheltered place.