No.022 · Butterflies, moths and other insects · Common

Peacock

Aglais io

A velvety red butterfly with four big blue-and-black eyespots that flash to scare off predators. It hibernates as an adult and is one of the first out in spring.

When to see a peacock

March to May and July to September, mostly by day.

What else is about in April

Time of day

Dawn
Day
Dusk
Night

Where to see a peacock in the UK

The New Forest. Feeds on sallow catkins and bramble along Bolderwood's rides.

These are real places in Britain, the same ones the game uses. Check the reserve or landowner's own guidance before you go.

Peacock facts at a glance

Best time: Sunny days from March; new adults in July–September; hibernates from September/October.
Where in the game: Millbrook (garden, park, churchyard, canal and farmland) and the New Forest (lawn and ancient woodland)
Wingspan: 63–69 mm
Lifespan: Up to about 11 months, one of the longest-lived British butterflies
Population: Widespread and common; no reliable national estimate
Status: Least Concern (GB Red List, Butterfly Conservation 2022)

Diet

Adults: nectar from sallow catkins, dandelion, buddleia and ivy. Caterpillars: nettle.

Habitat

Gardens, hedgerows, woodland edge and waste ground; hibernates in sheds, hollow trees and log piles.

Breeding

Eggs are laid in clusters on nettle, mainly in May; groups of black spiny caterpillars spin webs; new adults emerge from late July, feed, then hibernate.

Field signs

Communal silken webs on nettle with black, spiny caterpillars
Adults basking with wings open on a sunny wall
A hissing sound made by rubbing the wings together

Did you know?

When threatened, a peacock flashes its eyespots and makes a hissing sound by rubbing its wings together.
Peacocks are among the earliest butterflies each spring, waking on mild days in March.
Peacocks hibernate in dark, sheltered places such as sheds, barns and hollow trees, and wake on warm days from as early as March.

Moments worth waiting for

Spring awakening March to April, day
A peacock, freshly out of hibernation, opens its wings on a sunny wall and shows all four eyespots.
Eyespot flash August to October, day
Disturbed, the butterfly flicks its wings open and hisses, eyespots glaring.

Photo tip

Watch a buddleia in August or sallow catkins in March for basking butterflies. A macro lens and a still, sunny day; approach slowly to stay out of its shadow.