The More you handle the Butterfly, the more pain your causing it, I do understand this is difficult to understand BUT, their wings are like very fine tissue paper and when handled you remove some powdery coating they have on their wings, the best way and safest way to handle the little creature is to close the wings together, above their body and very gently hold these wings together as this causes the butterfly ti stop strugling and it wont attenpt to even try fly.
On saying that, is there any chance this butterfly is actually ready to go into the winter sleep, they sometimes get very sleepy, as the temps change, they are found inside the folds in drapes, hanging from lamp shades etc, come spring you may find the PUPA stage where the butterfly lade eggs and then died naturally and the next generation is born, nature knows better then us humans and is not as sentimental as we are, that being correct still don't mean we should not care for the wildlife we encourage into our gardens, well except those pesty slugs and snails LOL.
Just a thought, is there any Butterfly farms / houses close to you who breed them and allow the public entry to see all the different types of them in your area, they may give best advice, lets face it, there are still some folks who have never encountered a butterfly !!!!.
Best of luck for you MJJB and the little butterfly, I keep my fingers crossed.for a good outcome BUT do remember some insects have a very short life span and as mentioned above, you are just very lucky to have found the little butterfly.
Kindest Regards.
WeeNel.
