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Butterflies Page 22

Image Taken on 07 Aug 2015 at 09:53    Image of day on 10 Oct 2015

Proboscis maneuvering to a new flower on this nearly spent Teasel, a painted Lady Butterfly replenishes the overnight fast.


Ref: 20151010_df3_20150807_0953_026 painted lady butterfly moving proboscis between teasel flowers(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 30 Jul 2009 at 10:02    Image of day on 05 Sep 2009

Painted lady butterfly out before the dew has dried sunning itself to warm up prior to a busy day feeding at assorted wild and cultivated flowers.


Ref: 20090905_db1_20090730_1002_020 painted lady butterfly on dew-wet grass(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 17 Jun 2017 at 08:21    Image of day on 11 Aug 2017

On the same Privet hedge we spotted this single Painted Lady Butterfly.


Ref: 20170811_df3_20170617_0821_065 painted lady butterfly on privet flowers (at farm entrance)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 22 Jul 2014 at 10:16    Image of day on 27 Sep 2014

2014 has been a good year for Peacock butterflies, with at least 20 feeding in the meadow on sunny days.


Ref: 20140927_df2_20140722_1016_174 3 peacock butterflies feeding on 3 teasel heads (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 22 Jul 2014 at 10:15    Image of day on 27 Sep 2014

The Peacock butterflies also feed en-masse on Teasel flowers. Here are 2 sharing either side of a single Teasel head.


Ref: 20140927_df2_20140722_1015_169 2 peacock butterflies feeding on single teasel head (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 26 Jul 2023 at 12:56    Image of day on 16 Sep 2023

We had begun to think that this year was a disaster for our normally healthy population of Peacock Butterflies, but suddenly there a 'a few' about.
The early start of the season seems to have had quite the opposite effect here on this species.


Ref: 20230916_df3_20230726_1256_108 2 peacock butterflies on single thistle head(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 31 Mar 2025 at 15:37    Image of day on 12 May 2025

A Peacock Butterfly warming themselves on the warm metal.
This one has had an encounter with a bird, judging by the beak shaped notch out of the back of the right wing. It takes far more damage than this to effect their ability to fly.


Ref: 20250512_df3_20250331_1537_109 peacock butterfly (bird pecked right rear) on corrugated iron(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 22 Mar 2022 at 13:06    Image of day on 22 Apr 2022

Peacock Butterflies have emerged from their winter torpor and need to get going with mating to get the next generation underway.


Ref: 20220422_df3_20220322_1306_263 peacock butterfly (overwintered) pair courting in may blossom)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 22 Mar 2022 at 13:07    Image of day on 22 Apr 2022

Peacock Butterflies have almost black underside to their wings. You can just see the tip of the top of the wing at the left of the lower insect. They flew into impenetrable brambles before we could see them actually mating.


Ref: 20220422_df3_20220322_1307_283 peacock butterfly (overwintered) pair courting in may blossom)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 22 Mar 2023 at 10:53    Image of day on 28 Apr 2023

An overwintered Peacock Butterfly is enjoying some of the early blossom. The wings are a bit tatty from what looks like multiple bird pecks, but that won't stop this butterfly completing their life cycle to make eggs for the next generation. Its a fragile existence isn't it?


Ref: 20230428_df3_20230322_1053_046 peacock butterfly (tatty overwintered) feeding on hedge blossom(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 05 Apr 2024 at 15:31    Image of day on 01 May 2024

Our first definite Peacock Butterfly sighting this year. Lots of early season insects are attracted to this (sometimes) sun-warmed sheet of corrugated iron.


Ref: 20240501_df3_20240405_1531_066 peacock butterfly - 1st of 2024(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 22 Jul 2011 at 10:12    Image of day on 01 Sep 2011

This Peacock butterfly was repeatedly irritated by the hover-flies and kept flicking it's wings when they got close.


Ref: 20110901_df1_20110722_1012_042 peacock butterfly and 4 hover-flies on perennial sow-thistle (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 18 Jul 2022 at 08:03    Image of day on 03 Sep 2022

This was at 8 a.m. on the first day of the heat-wave - the morning was already pleasantly warm - a portent of the events to come. Many of the normally mid-day visitors were already out making the most of this atypical weather. Here a Peacock Butterfly has the proboscis in a flower hidden by the one closest to the camera.


Ref: 20220903_d73_20220718_0803_007 peacock butterfly feeding from great willow herb flower(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 22 Jul 2017 at 12:40    Image of day on 05 Sep 2017

A few Peacock butterflies are appearing - most of the butterflies share our proliferation of flowering teasels. The underside of the wings nearest to us is in fact very dark, but the sunlight is showing us the pattern on the top of same wings shining through.


Ref: 20170905_df3_20170722_1240_013 peacock butterfly feeding from teasel (crop 2)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 02 Jun 2024 at 15:11    Image of day on 30 Jun 2024

A Peacock Butterfly feeding on one of the newly opened Blackberry flowers.
The colourful top of the wing is very obvious.
The bottoms of the other pair of wings appear almost black when top lit, but here the sun is shining through the wings creating a dark echo of the top of wing's colours.


Ref: 20240630_r70_20240602_1511_006 peacock butterfly feeding on blackberry flower(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 04 Apr 2021 at 15:43    Image of day on 03 May 2021

This Peacock Butterfly awake after overwintering is in quite good condition for a 6 month hibernation. Nevertheless she has some bird peck damage to the left wing.


Ref: 20210503_d73_20210404_1543_118 peacock butterfly feeding on blackthorn blossom(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 15 Apr 2009 at 15:11    Image of day on 12 May 2009

This Peacock butterfly has overwintered in remarkably good condition & decorates the cherry blossom, or is it vice-versa.


Ref: 20090512_db1_20090415_1511_023 peacock butterfly feeding on cherry blossom (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 23 Apr 2013 at 10:46    Image of day on 07 Jun 2013

So far only the peacock butterfly has settled on the flowers long enough to capture any images. This one is in a reasonable state considering that it has been hibernating all winter.


Ref: 20130607_df1_20130423_1046_084 peacock butterfly feeding on cherry flower(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 23 Apr 2013 at 10:48    Image of day on 07 Jun 2013

The bland blue sky may suggest a 'studio shot' but this lovely peacock butterfly (who will have been in hibernation all winter) was most definitely enjoying the cherry tree blossom out in the 'wild'


Ref: 20130607_df1_20130423_1048_096 peacock butterfly feeding on cherry flower (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 25 Jul 2013 at 12:13    Image of day on 13 Sep 2013

We have a lot of Ragwort in flower this year (and we will cut most of the heads before they seed to prevent it taking over!). Despite the plant being poisonous to some animals, the flowers obviously deliver thoroughly palatable nectar to this Peacock butterfly.


Ref: 20130913_a77_20130725_1213_038 peacock butterfly feeding on ragwort flower (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


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