insect · GBIF taxon 4535827
Peacock Butterfly
Aglais ioAlso known as European Peacock
Peacock butterflies boast spectacular, iridescent eyespots on their upper wings, which they flash dramatically to startle potential predators like insectivorous birds. When threatened in dark hibernation spots, they can also rub their wings together to produce a hissing sound audible to humans. These resilient insects are among the first butterflies to emerge in spring, having spent the winter dormant in hollow trees, sheds, or stone crevices.
ColorfulDiurnalOverwintering
Licensed reference(c) S. Rae, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
- diet
- Nectar, tree sap, and rotting fruit (adults); stinging nettle leaves (caterpillars)
- family
- Nymphalidae
- threats
- Pesticide use, habitat fragmentation, and loss of larval host plants
- life Span
- Up to 11 months
LC
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- Winter Searching: Look inside unheated sheds, outbuildings, and hollow trees where adults hibernate suspended from ceilings.
- Summer Watching: Scan flowering buddleja bushes, brambles, and damp ground where adults gather to feed and mineralize.