PEACOCK BUTTERFLY : Inachis io
Also see : BUTTERFLIES & MOTHS
The peacock butterfly has brownish-red wings, each with a single, large peacock-feather-like eyespot – used to scare predators. It rests with its wings closed, showing the almost black, well-camouflaged underside.
It is one of the commonest garden butterflies, found throughout lowland England and Wales. It is rarer in Scotland.[RSPB]
Peacock butterfly seen above Renton in late March. As this time of year is still cold and wet, it is great to see that it has already gone through its various stages of its life cycle. Few sources of food await it so early in spring. But this is daffodil season and this butterfly was making good use of them.
It is still early May and this poor peacock butterfly is already past its prime. Although now a bit tattered, as it alights on dry leaves it gains the benefit of camouflage
