The peacock butterfly (Aglais io), with its striking eyespots, is one of the best-known brush-footed butterflies. Like the brimstone and the small tortoiseshell, it hibernates as an adult butterfly. It seeks out dark, cool, and dry hiding places, such as tree hollows, woodsheds, or cellars. There, it enters a state of torpor and also produces a type of antifreeze. Its overwintering strategy is so successful that it is often sighted as one of the first butterflies of the year as early as March, shortly after the brimstone.
[Photo: Wikipedia, Morbakka]
0 comments