European Peacock
Aglais io (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Unmistakable. Chocolate brown above with blue peacock eye-spot on each wing. Below mottled brown-black like a tortoiseshell.
Wing Span: 2 - 2 ½ inches (5.1-6.4 cm).
Life History: Males perch to await females. After mating, females lay batches of eggs on leaves or stems of stinging nettle (Urtica). Larvae feed in late spring and early summer. Adults emerge in summer and overwinter until the following spring.
Flight: July-May.
Caterpillar Hosts: Stinging nettle.
Adult Food: Sap flows, rotting fruits, dung, and flower nectar including butterflybush, yellow composites, bramble, and thistles.
Habitat: Various woodlands and gardens.
Range: Temperate Eurasia. Previously was a rare stray or transport to North America, but now it appears to be established. Regular records have been found in Canada since 1997. Source: Pelham's Catalogue https://www.butterfliesofamerica.com/US-Can-Cat.htm
Conservation: Not needed for rare vagrant.
NCGR: G5
Management Needs:
Taxonomy Notes: Inachis Hübner, [1819] = Aglais Dalman, 1816
Alternate Scientific Names:
Inachis io
Papilio io
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img-2086_modifiee.jpg?itok=QAq63uCi)
Observation date: Sep 22, 2023
Submitted by: Richard Pelletier
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 22, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/peacock_b.f.jpg?itok=w5lBlWbZ)
Observation date: Aug 31, 2022
Submitted by: Mitrom
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 02, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/81db91b5-ec6c-4603-a8e8-49c3de64e333.jpeg?itok=jexx-9rV)
Observation date: Aug 28, 2022
Submitted by: AnnDomenicano
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 28, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img-2538_0.jpg?itok=iOZp6Vl8)
Observation date: Jan 05, 2022
Submitted by: Lee Anne Wilde
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 27, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_6985_10.jpg?itok=WBxPamjK)
Observation date: Apr 27, 2017
Submitted by: Naz
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1395_5.jpg?itok=XRH3kL24)
Observation date: May 15, 2017
Submitted by: Naz
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1443_3.jpg?itok=iTE-PrGr)
Observation date: May 15, 2017
Submitted by: Naz
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20210830_152817.jpg?itok=XgbLLNFy)
Observation date: Aug 30, 2021
Submitted by: Williamu
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 02, 2022
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Observation date: Aug 25, 2014
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: May 08, 2019
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/may_2014_butterfly_069_0.jpg?itok=GCMlL-Nt)
Observation date: May 10, 2014
Submitted by: Daryl Hutton
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 04, 2014
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/image_81.jpg?itok=aomBE3DL)
Observation date: Jan 15, 2013
Submitted by: Lysette85
Region: Cortland County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Apr 23, 2013
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Observation date: Sep 08, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Louis Handfield)
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: legacy.verifier (The Lepidopterists' Society Season Summary)
Verified date: Sep 13, 2010
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Observation date: Apr 26, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Louis Handfield)
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: legacy.verifier (The Lepidopterists' Society Season Summary)
Verified date: Sep 13, 2010
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/Inachis_ioOpler.jpg?itok=d4_ERfso)
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (Paul Opler)
Region:
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
![](/sites/default/files/no-image-icon-480x360.png)
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Lane County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: New York County, New York, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
![](/sites/default/files/no-image-icon-480x360.png)
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Richmond County, New York, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004