Peacocks

Mention to someone that you've just seen a Peacock in the garden, and their mind is probably filled with visions of a sizable blue-green bird with a spectacularly impressive tail and a penchant for shaking its booty. But there's another creature with the same common name — the handsome red butterfly Inachis io. It's a common and widespread species across much of Europe, including nearly all of the British Isles. (They appear to reach northern Scotland only as migrants.) Since they hibernate overwinter as adults, Peacocks start showing up as early as March on balmy spring days, but their main flight season is between June and August. This adult was feeding on Lemon Thyme (Thymus x citriodorus) in our herb patch; they're also very fond of Buddleia. The larvae feed on nettles, of which we have plenty growing in some of the rougher corners of the garden. Hopefully, we're helping to boost the local population!

With wings closed, they're a lot less eye-catching!