| Family | Nymphalidae |
|---|---|
| Subfamily | Nymphalinae |
| Genus | Aglais |
| Species | io |
| Authority | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| English Name | Peacock |
| European Red List 2010 | Least Concern (LC) |
|---|---|
| EU 27 Red List 2010 | Least Concern (LC) |
| European Red List 2025 | Least Concern (LC) |
| EU 27 Red List 2025 | Least Concern (LC) |
| Habitats Directive | |
| Bern Convention | |
| CITES |
In temperate Europe, the Peacock is one of the best-known butterflies, because of its striking appearance and common occurrence. There is no other diurnal butterfly with such noticeable eye- spots on the upperside of its wings. It is often seen in gardens and parks on herbaceous borders and flowering shrubs, looking for nectar. Eggs are laid on Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) in damp, shady places, sometimes at edges of woodland. Occasionally, Hop (Humulus lupulus) is also used. The caterpillars live gregariously in flimsy webs. Sometimes, plants are completely covered with spun silk, which serves as a home for tens of caterpillars. They leave the web to pupate on the foodplant. The adult butterfly goes into hibernation, hiding itself away in cold lofts and sheds. The species usually has one and sometimes a partial second generation per year.
Albania / Andorra / Austria / Belarus / Belgium / Belgium: Flanders / Belgium: Wallonia / Bosnia and Herzegovina / Bulgaria / Croatia / Czechia / Denmark / Estonia / Finland / France / France: Mainland / France: Corsica / Germany / Greece / Greece: Mainland / Greece: East Aegean Islands / Hungary / Iceland (Irregular Vagrant) / Ireland / Italy / Italy: Mainland / Italy: Sardinia / Italy: Sicily / Latvia / Liechtenstein / Lithuania / Luxembourg / North Macedonia / Moldova / Montenegro / Netherlands / Norway / Poland / Portugal / Portugal: Mainland / Romania / European Russia / San Marino / Serbia / Serbia: Serbia / Serbia: Kosovo / Slovakia / Slovenia / Spain / Spain: Mainland / Sweden / Switzerland / European Türkiye / Ukraine / United Kingdom / United Kingdom: Great Britain / United Kingdom: Northern Ireland / United Kingdom: Isle of Man / United Kingdom: Guernsey / United Kingdom: Jersey / United Kingdom: Gibraltar /