Identification and the Life Cycle of the Peacock Butterfly
History of the peacock butterfly
As the name depicts the peacock butterfly is one of the most beautiful butterflies ever. These butterflies show off their beauty by displaying their bright colors that will get the attention of anyone. The peacock butterflies are a real show stopper and populate places such as Scotland, England, Britain, Wales, and Ireland.
Other species like the banded peacock butterfly can be found in places such as Central America, Costa Rica, Texas, and Mexico. The peacock butterfly belongs to the family Nymphalidae and is mostly single brooded.
The peacock butterflies love open areas that are subtropical where they can be found actively in their habitat feeding on nectar plants, mating, or taking a rest. Once the female mates, she can lay up to five hundred eggs ensuring the presence of the next generation. Below we will be going more in-depth as we take our journey into the life of the peacock butterfly.
The peacock butterfly natural habitat
These butterflies can be found in areas such as pastures, meadows, woods, fields, gardens, and parks,
The life cycle of the peacock butterfly
1. The female will deposit her eggs on the host plant (nettles) which will be the food for the larva or caterpillars.
2. The eggs are very small but hatch in about 2 weeks.
3. A silk web is spun and the larva or caterpillar begins to feed they are huge eaters causing them to grow rapidly.
4. In a month most of them are fully grown and will spread over the garden area.
5. The mature caterpillar can be recognized by black spines, white dots, and a long body that resembles velvet.
6. As the caterpillar enters its final stage it forms a chrysalis that is secured by a pad that’s spun from silk.
7. This silk pad is support on a structure or a plant’s stem.
8. The chrysalis may be dark grey or pale green in color.
9. In about 2 weeks or thereabout a beautiful butterfly will emerge.
Attracting the peacock butterfly to your garden
To attract the peacock butterfly to your garden area follow these simple but yet effective steps.
1. The right choice of plants is so important, choosing garden plants they can’t resist such as nettles, buddleia, and other nectar-producing plants.
2. When installing plants place them in the full sunlight and in masses.
3. Installing shrubs and tall plants will act as a windbreaker not only to slow down the wind speed but will provide a place of safety.
4. Using lots of bright colorful nectar plants which they love will get them excited.
5. Placing a few medium-size rocks in your garden area will provide a resting place.
6. Placing a dish or two of water mix with sand will provide them with the water and minerals they need.
7. Creating a puddle station in a small part of your garden will also provide the peacock butterfly with moisture and minerals.
12 fun facts about the peacock butterfly
1. The peacock butterfly is strong and can travel great distances.
2. To ward off predators this butterfly will rub its wings together that sounds like hissing.
3. The females can lay up to 500 eggs.
4. The larva or the caterpillar of the peacock butterfly grows rapidly because of its huge appetite.
5. When it’s time to rest the peacock butterfly closes its wings.
6. The peacock butterfly can live up to 11 months which is a long time in the butterfly world.
7. The peacock butterfly name is derived from its pattern of colorful wings.
8. The adult butterfly drinks nectar while the caterpillar eats nettles.
9. Eyespots patterns can be found on their wings to keep predators at bay.
10. These butterflies may be one of the first that is spotted during springtime.
11. Both the male and the female have the same wingspan of about 55mm.
12. The male butterfly has been known to protect their territory that includes their water habitat nesting sites and foraging areas, they will also fly towards insects that come close to their territory.
Additional information
1. Don’t squash caterpillars because they may just be the larva of the peacock butterfly.
2. When watering garden plants apply from the ground or soil level to protect from knocking the larva of the plant.
3. Don’t use harmful pesticides that can kill both the adult and the caterpillar of the peacock butterfly.
4. Harmful pesticides will also have an adverse effect on beneficial insects.
5. Introducing beneficial insects by these means is not only safer to rid your garden of insect pests but will also help in bringing balance to our ecosystem.
6. Giving your garden plants the right amount of water is so important in keeping them healthy not only for a beautiful garden but ensuring that plants are producing foods for these butterflies.
7. The use of fertilizers will help to keep garden plants thriving. Before applying fertilizers read and follow the manufactures label.
8. Applying a 2-3 inch layer of mulch will give you these benefits.
9. Keep birdbaths and feeders away from butterfly habitat because the last thing you want is for the larva or caterpillar to become bird food.
The final word about the peacock butterfly
As proud as a peacock these butterflies will display their many colors gracing your gardens and landscapes with such flavors because of their presence. These butterflies are among some of the most beautiful and will fill your garden with activity as you watch them in their natural habitat so go for it because you will not only provide a home for them but help in bringing balance to our ecosystem which I believe is a win-win.
About the author
Norman loves being in the garden, both at home and for his job....
he is 'Natures Little helper' being outdoors, growing his vegetables and flowers from an early age.
Now having spent over 22 years in the profession he want to give some of his knowledge to others...
his vast array of hints and tips you will find scattered over this site will help you no end growing plants in your garden.
I want to appreciate your website. It is indeed beautiful and informative.
The peacock butterfly is such a beautiful species and one stare can keep you gazing for a long time. I never knew that their females can lay up to 500 eggs.
i have gotten to learn more about their history also. thank you very much
Thank you much for those kind words. These butterflies are so amazing and beautiful and will bring much flavor into your garden. So happy to help and all the best to you.
Another great addition to your website Norman. I was here a few days ago and learned so much about the Cabbage White Butterfly that you covered.
Like I mentioned to you before, Here on the island of Rhodes in Greece we have only the Tiger Moth Butterfly, and I seem destined not to enjoy the different species which have graced our planet.
This Peacock Butterfly looks absolutely amazing and it is always good to learn something new about them!
I see from your information you say this particular butterfly is mainly found in Central/South America, but I also noticed you mention they travel great distances! Do you know if they are found in Europe at all? I would love to see them for myself!
Thanks Norman, always a pleasure.
Chris
Thanks so much for your kind words, these butterflies are really beautiful and will bring that much-needed flavor into your garden area. The good news is these butterflies do populate Europe and that species is known as the European Peacock butterfly. So it is possible to have them visit your garden, thanks again and all the best to you.
Well peacock butterflies are very special set of flies that find pleasure in an open space so that they can carry out there activities better, and that to me is very wise because few animals have that kind of characteristics.also peacock butterflies hatches their egg’s for just 2weeks after laying it, also too there choice of flower matter’s a lot.
These butterflies are so amazing and will bring lots of activity into your garden area. So happy that I could help.
Butterflies are one of the things I have really missed in my life for the past two decades now. I can’t remember the very last time I touched a butterfly and having a peacock butterfly in my garden will be a great idea and it is awesome because they are so beautiful.
Thanks for sharing ways to attract them to my garden. I will love to do this when I find time.
I am so happy to help and having these butterflies around will really do wonders. But ensure that these butterflies are in your area other than that you may have to do a little research to see which species of butterfly habitat is in your area and then provide them with what they need to attract them.
Never heard of this type of butterfly before but it is a very nice type of specie judging from all the qualities you have mentioned that it has here. I liked the colour that it has and I am happy that I can learn more about it. I will come here to tell if I see it in my mother’s garden.
There are so many species of butterflies that it is just mind-blowing. I am so happy that I could help.
Its really a season to go back to nature and be nurtured because the healing benefits of walking out in the garden and breathing the fresh air from the plants can not be over emphasised. And what a glorious sight it would be to have the peacock butterflies as permanent residents of your garden. I am so glad to learn today how to attract and nourish the peacock butterflies and i will put it to practice immediately. Lately i have been studying how to grow Chlorella and Spirulina on my garden because of their high protein content and butterflies are really a beauty to add to my plan. Thank you so much for sharing this article i never knew that butterflies could be attracted and nurtured until now. Cheers!
Once we create the right environment butterflies will come. You are right it is so good to connect with nature by taking a nature walk or going in our gardens which can help to relax the mine and getting rid of stress. I am so happy to help and wishing you the best of success.
Such an awesome article on “peacock butterfly life cycle”. They are one of the most beautiful species of butterflies. Their colours are so attractive and their style of defence against predators really amazes me. I really never had basic knowledge on the life cycle of the peakcock butterfly. I love the peacock butterflies but attracting them to the garden was a major challenge but am glad i am seeing this article, it’ll really be of help to me.
Thanks a lot.
These butterflies are really beautiful and will bring that much-needed flavor into our gardens. So happy to help and wishing you the best of success.
Hi Norman,
In our childhood, we all get excited to see butterflies and even today I love to see butterflies. Thanks a lot for the informative and educational article. I do remember even I went for a fight with my schooling friends to stop them from catching butterflies. I got helpful insights from your article.
I am amazed to know that the female lay 500 eggs. You have given me plenty of information, the 9 points you shared are very helpful. This article is so thorough it opened my eyes to all sorts of information I wasn’t aware of! I am going to implement what I learned from this article to attract butterflies to my little garden.
Having butterflies around is is so amazing as we watch them in their natural habitat. It is good to provide a home for them along with helping to balance the ecosystem. So happy to help!!
Nature can be so beautiful sometimes but we more often than not forget about it. I had seen photos of this specific kind of butterflies but never knew they were called Peacock butterflies!!! And it’s amazing the amount of details you provide about them in your article. So many things I didn’t know. You did great research on them indeed. Well done!
These butterflies are so amazing and will have our gardens buzzing with excitement. I am so happy to help and thanks for your kind words.
There are some really amazing creatures and the peacock butterfly has a class of beauty that i have not seen before now.
learning about the history of the peacock butterfly is insightful. for a small egg that hatch in about two weeks, the peacock butterfly seems to be one of a kind. thank you for this post
These butterflies are so amazing with their beauty and having them around is a real treat. So happy that I could help.