Peacock butterfly braving the cold

[Amari]

Just spotted this peacock butterfly in the garden. It was slowly opening and closing its wings. A dunnock came to investigate but did not peck it. It is resting on hoar frost which has fallen from the ash tree above (it was foggy yesterday and overnight so that the trees and bushes were covered in hoar frost until melted by the sun).
What to do? I've put it into our unheated greenhouse.

 

[Fritillary]

It's quite an image!
I probably would have done the same. I was amazed the first time I saw a butterfly mid-winter - on a New Year's Day. - That was inside though. I have tried putting them 'somewhere safe' but probably somewhere too warm for them really.

 

[Swarm]

I have a Red Admiral wintering behind a box of frames in my shed.

 

[madasafish]

We had a few butterflies in early December entering the house to keep warm.
With snow on the ground since Boxing Day, seen none recently.

 

[Finman]

It dies in the greenhouse when it try to get out.

 

[Amari]

I check daily

 

[pargyle]

I've had a Peacock Butterfly hibernating in my garage all winter. She seems to have survived and yesterday was on the wall by the glazed side door spreading her wings .... Sadly, she would not pose with her wings open for me, beautiful big, colourful butterfly ... the weather down here is not that great for the next week so I'm reluctant to encourage her to leave but .. if she's spreading her wings does she need a feed and water ? There's not much of either in my garage.

I always have a patch of nettles in my garden so there's somewhere for her to lay her eggs in due course with any luck.

 

[Swarm]

I had one hibernating in the shed a couple of years ago, tucked in the gap between shelves and an inner wall. I found her while I was having a sort out so I stopped and left her to a peaceful winter.
I kept checking in the spring and then one day she had gone.