Peacock   Aglais io   
Family : Nymphalidae Tribe Nymphalini
What do they look like?
The peacock is another butterfly that is unmistakable in flight. The upper wings have an orange-brown background with a pattern resembling an eye on each wing from which the name derives. These “eyes” are predominantly blue on the hindwings whereas on the forewings they tend to be black and dark red in the centre surrounded by yellow and with blue on the outer edges. In complete contrast the undersides of their wings are a mottled dark brown, almost black, and resemble dead leaves. The sexes are alike.
 
The wingspan is between 63 and 68mm for males; 67 to 75mm for females.
 
Where are they found (in Britain and Ireland)
All Britain and Ireland. Recently spread to northern Scotland although less common there.
 
What is their preferred habitat outside gardens?
These are strongly flying, highly mobile butterflies that can turn up in almost any habitat although they appear to prefer open woodland. They have also been described as nomadic with a tendency to fly north in spring and south in late summer.
 
Resident or migrant?
Resident
 
When to see them?
Peacock butterflies can be seen throughout the year but the main sightings are likely to be from March until early summer for the overwintered adults and then from late July to autumn for the new brood of adults. There is generally only one brood per year. The overwintered males tend to feed in the morning then set up territories in the afternoon for chasing females.
 
What happens in winter?
They overwinter as adults, usually hibernating in dark spaces such as tree holes, sheds or garages where they can rest undisturbed. Most adults reappear from March however they can be seen much earlier if there is warm winter weather that encourages to come out of hibernation. 
 
 
 
 
What do the caterpillars eat?
The main foodplant is common nettle Urtica dioica although hop Humulus lupulus is also frequently cited1..
 
Flowers they take nectar from
Adults take nectar from a wide variety of flowers, including betony, blackthorn, bluebell, brambles, buddleja, bugle, common fleabane, cuckooflower, dandelions, devil's-bit scabious, ground-ivy, hawkweeds, hemp-agrimony, ragworts, thistles, water mint, wild marjoram, wild privet, wild teasel and yarrow2. .
 
How are they doing?
The population of peacock butterflies appears stable at present with the 2022 State of UK butterflies report showing almost no difference in numbers since1976 but a 36% increase in distribution as the species has expanded its range northwards3..
 
Other interesting facts
When threatened, peacock butterflies are able to rub their wings together to produce a hissing sound.
 
References
 
1.  Biological Record Centre database
 
2.  UK butterflies website 
 
3.  State of UK Butterflies 2022 report
 
 
 
Page written by Judy Skinner, reviewed and compiled by Steve Head
Caterpillars in communal web
What do the early stages look like?
 
Peacock eggs are ribbed like those of their relatives, and semi-transparent pale green.  Unlike their relatives, the eggs are laid in large heaped clusters often of several hundred.
 
The early caterpillars are pale yellow with brown markings and a conspicuous dark shiny head and are about 1.5 mm long. Their colour darkens rapidly as they go through their four moults and they end up as large (43mm) jet-black caterpillars covered in tiny white spots and short black spines. The female butterflies lay eggs in large clusters and when the caterpillars hatch they build a communal web on their foodplant from which they emerge to feed. As they grow and move to new plants they build new webs, only dispersing shortly before pupation when they are fully grown.
 
The pupa hangs head-down from a leaf or stalk, and is green or dark grey depending on the colour of the adjacent foliage.
What do the early stages look like?
 
Peacock eggs are ribbed like those of their relatives, and semi-transparent pale green.  Unlike their relatives, the eggs are laid in large heaped clusters often of several hundred.
 
The early caterpillars are pale yellow with brown markings and a conspicuous dark shiny head and are about 1.5 mm long. Their colour darkens rapidly as they go through their four moults and they end up as large (43mm) jet-black caterpillars covered in tiny white spots and short black spines.
 
Caterpillars in communal web
The female butterflies lay eggs in large clusters and when the caterpillars hatch they build a communal web on their foodplant from which they emerge to feed. As they grow and move to new plants they build new webs, only dispersing shortly before pupation when they are fully grown.
 
The pupa hangs head-down from a leaf or stalk, and is green or dark grey depending on the colour of the adjacent foliage.
 
What do the caterpillars eat?
The main foodplant is common nettle Urtica dioica although hop Humulus lupulus is also frequently cited1..
 
Flowers they take nectar from
Adults take nectar from a wide variety of flowers, including betony, blackthorn, bluebell, brambles, buddleja, bugle, common fleabane, cuckooflower, dandelions, devil's-bit scabious, ground-ivy, hawkweeds, hemp-agrimony, ragworts, thistles, water mint, wild marjoram, wild privet, wild teasel and yarrow2. .
 
How are they doing?
The population of peacock butterflies appears stable at present with the 2022 State of UK butterflies report showing almost no difference in numbers since1976 but a 36% increase in distribution as the species has expanded its range northwards3..
 
Other interesting facts
When threatened, peacock butterflies are able to rub their wings together to produce a hissing sound.
 
References
 
1.  Biological Record Centre database
 
2.  UK butterflies website 
 
3.  State of UK Butterflies 2022 report
 
 
Page written by Judy Skinner, reviewed and compiled by Steve Head
What do they look like?
The peacock is another butterfly that is unmistakable in flight. The upper wings have an orange-brown background with a pattern resembling an eye on each wing from which the name derives. These “eyes” are predominantly blue on the hindwings whereas on the forewings they tend to be black and dark red in the centre surrounded by yellow and with blue on the outer edges. In complete contrast the undersides of their wings are a mottled dark brown, almost black, and resemble dead leaves. The sexes are alike.
 
The wingspan is between 63 and 68mm for males; 67 to 75mm for females.
 
Where are they found (in Britain and Ireland)
All Britain and Ireland. Recently spread to northern Scotland although less common there.
 
What is their preferred habitat outside gardens?
These are strongly flying, highly mobile butterflies that can turn up in almost any habitat although they appear to prefer open woodland. They have also been described as nomadic with a tendency to fly north in spring and south in late summer.
 
Resident or migrant?
Resident
 
When to see them?
Peacock butterflies can be seen throughout the year but the main sightings are likely to be from March until early summer for the overwintered adults and then from late July to autumn for the new brood of adults. There is generally only one brood per year. The overwintered males tend to feed in the morning then set up territories in the afternoon for chasing females.
 
What happens in winter?
They overwinter as adults, usually hibernating in dark spaces such as tree holes, sheds or garages where they can rest undisturbed. Most adults reappear from March however they can be seen much earlier if there is warm winter weather that encourages to come out of hibernation. 
 
 
Peacock   Aglais io   
Family : Nymphalidae Tribe Nymphalini
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