I found this flying around my garden a few months ago. Probably because I let it live, it’s now going to lay eggs on my cabbages resulting in them being eaten down to the stems. Anyway, I thought it was interesting enough to make a short post.
Happy New Years everyone!
It’s the European peacock butterfly: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inachis_io; its caterpillars look like this and they don’t eat cabbage, but nettles etc. Let it live!
Happy New Year!
Yes, definitely a peacock: http://www.britishbutterflies.co.uk/asp/species.asp?vernacular=Peacock
They’ve been doing well, the last few years.
Happy New Year!
Any butterfly that eats nettles is a friend of mine!!
Happy new year!
I agree with Lieven and Emma. I have the same Peacock butterfly in my garden. Though the caterpillars feed on nettles and hops, I never noticed any harm done. It’s definitely a pleasure in a garden.