The European Peacock butterfly

To mark the 15th anniversary of the Estonian Society of Lepidepterologists the butterfly of the year, the European Peacock butterfly (Inachis io), was picked as the butterfly of the year. It catches attention by its beautiful reddish colour and its large bluish so-called "eyes"on the front and the back wings. Actually, the Estonian name has been given to it due to the similarity of the eye patches with the peacock’s tail feathers. As a vigorous and active flier it is difficult not to notice it. We have to do with a wintering butterfly. Thanks to such a power of adaptation we can see it flying on the first flowers in the early spring up to the arrival of autumn.