Today was a beautiful autumn day – sunny and warm. At this time of year, most plants are beginning to die away. The purple Aster flower is an exception, only bursting into bloom in late September. It’s not just a pretty face – it is also a great source of nectar for insects, at a time when alternatives are scarce. The Small Tortoiseshell butterfly (Ruan Beag, as Gaeilge) pictured above will need all the food it can find – it hibernates in winter as an adult (i.e. as a butterfly as opposed to a caterpillar or larva) and needs to build up energy reserves in advance of the long sleep ahead.