The European Peacock (Aglais io)

Here’s a detailed natural history overview of the European Peacock (Aglais io), one of Europe’s most striking and familiar butterflies:


European Peacock (Aglais io)

Taxonomy & Classification

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Family: Nymphalidae (brush-footed butterflies)
  • Genus: Aglais
  • Species: A. io

General Description

  • Wingspan: 50–55 mm on average.
  • Appearance:
    • Upperside: Rich reddish-brown wings with large, colorful eyespots on each wing (blue, yellow, and black), resembling a peacock’s tail feathers.
    • Underside: Very dark, almost blackish-brown, providing excellent camouflage when wings are closed, resembling a dead leaf or bark.
  • Sexual dimorphism: Minimal — males and females appear similar.
  • Flight pattern: Graceful, gliding interspersed with rapid wingbeats.

Behavior & Lifestyle

  • Defensive behavior: The eyespots serve to startle or deter predators (especially birds). When threatened, it can also flash its wings suddenly or make a hissing sound by rubbing its wings together.
  • Activity: Diurnal; often basks in sunny spots with wings open.
  • Hibernation: Adults hibernate over winter in hollow trees, sheds, caves, or attics, emerging in early spring.
See also  Black-spotted longhorn beetle (Rhagium mordax)

Diet

  • Caterpillars: Feed mainly on stinging nettles (Urtica dioica).
  • Adults: Feed on nectar from thistles, buddleia, dandelions, and other flowering plants. They may also sip tree sap and overripe fruit.

Reproduction & Life Cycle

  • Mating season: Spring, soon after adults emerge from hibernation.
  • Eggs: Laid in clusters on the underside of nettle leaves.
  • Larvae (caterpillars): Black with white spots and spines; live gregariously in silken webs during early stages.
  • Pupae (chrysalides): Green or brown, camouflaged among vegetation.
  • Adult emergence: Usually June–July, with one or sometimes two broods depending on climate.
  • Lifespan: Adults can live up to 11 months due to hibernation, unusually long for a butterfly.

Habitat

  • Found in a wide variety of habitats:
    • Woodlands and forest edges
    • Meadows and grasslands
    • Gardens, parks, and urban areas
  • Requires sunny spots with flowering plants for nectar and nettles for breeding.
See also  Hersonissos, Crete, Greece

Geographic Range

  • Widespread across Europe and temperate Asia, from the UK and Iberian Peninsula through Scandinavia to Japan.
  • Absent from northernmost Arctic regions and much of southern Iberia.

Ecological Role

  • Pollinator: Contributes to pollination of wildflowers and garden plants.
  • Prey species: Caterpillars are food for birds, wasps, and other insects, while adults may fall prey to birds, spiders, and bats.
  • Nettle specialist: Relies heavily on nettle patches, linking it to this common plant in European ecosystems.

Special Adaptations

  • Eyespots: Startle predators by mimicking the eyes of larger animals.
  • Wing underside camouflage: Provides cryptic protection when resting with wings closed.
  • Hibernation ability: One of the few butterflies in Europe that overwinters as an adult.

Conservation Status

  • IUCN Red List: Not globally threatened; considered Least Concern.
  • Population trend: Stable, though local declines may occur due to habitat loss, herbicide use on nettles, and climate-related shifts in hibernation survival.
  • Conservation measures: Maintaining nettle patches and nectar-rich plants in both wild and urban environments supports populations.
See also  Dock bug (Coreus marginatus)

Interesting Facts

  • When disturbed in hibernation, peacocks often flash their wings and produce a rasping noise to scare off predators like mice.
  • One of the first butterflies seen in spring, often flying on warm sunny days in February or March.
  • Its bold appearance makes it one of the most photographed and painted butterflies in Europe.

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