Peacock butterfly Aglais io

The wings are a rich chestnut brown with grey borders. The eyes on the hind wing are blue and black with a fuzzy white border, the eyes on the forewings that are no as distinct and are of mixed colours.
The edges of the wings are scalloped and the underside of the wing is dark in order to camouflage the butterfly against bark or dead leaves.

Peacocks prefer to breed on woodland edges and clearings but they are strong flyers and can be seen in many habitats looking for food. The North Norfolk Woods Living Landscape area is a good place to look for peacocks including NWT Foxley Wood and NWT Honeypot Wood.  Peacock butterflies hibernate in winter, usually in holes in trees, but you may find them in your garden and outbuildings.

Adult peacock butterflies are generally seen between March and September with eggs laid between May and the beginning of June.  Peacock caterpillars are black, with spines and small white spots and can be seen on stinging nettles from the end of May to the beginning of July. When they hatch they spin and web that they live and feed in until they are large enough to move away.  If the weather is warm enough during the winter you may see peacock butterflies flying.

Butterfly Conservation - http://butterfly-conservation.org/679-848/peacock.html
UK Butterflies - http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=io
British Butterflies - https://www.britishbutterflies.co.uk/species-info.asp?vernacular=peacock

In your garden choose plants that have nectar rich flowers for the butterflies to feed on.
Support Norfolk Wildlife Trust to protect the woodland habitat these butterflies need to breed and hibernate.