The vibrant peacock butterfly has been crowned the nation’s favourite butterfly in a new poll conducted by conservationists.
Its distinctive “eye-spots” and striking colours, which serve as a defence mechanism against predators, helped it secure the top position.
The poll, run by Butterfly Conservation, saw the peacock triumph over 59 other British species, with more than 20,000 votes cast across the UK.
A diverse array of colourful species completed the top five, with the orange-tip butterfly taking a close second.
The red admiral landed in third place, followed by the holly blue in fourth, and the bright yellow brimstone butterfly rounding out the top spots.
The charity, which declared a “butterfly emergency” in 2024 as numbers recorded during its annual Big Butterfly Count fell to a record low, is now calling on everyone to take part in this year’s count to help scientists get an updated picture of how Britain’s most common butterflies are faring.
Butterfly Conservation’s head of engagement, Kate Merry, said: “The response to Britain’s Favourite Butterfly has been absolutely wonderful, and we’re not surprised.
“It’s clear that people up and down the country love butterflies of all shapes, sizes and colours, and voted in their thousands for their favourites.”
But she said: “The peacock is a worthy winner, it’s a true showstopper and a species that I bet a lot of us picture when we think of butterflies.
“It’s been really special seeing people get so passionate about their favourites and throw their support behind them.
“Now we can’t wait to see how many peacocks are spotted up and down the country in this summer’s Big Butterfly Count.”
Peacock butterflies are regular visitors to gardens and green spaces across the whole of the UK, particularly where there are patches of nettles as the plants are their caterpillars’ favourite food, Butterfly Conservation said.
Ms Merry added: “Taking part in the Big Butterfly Count couldn’t be easier, simply spend 15 minutes in any outdoor space and count the butterflies and day-flying moths you see and submit your sightings to help build our interactive map.
“This information will help conservationists to see how some of our more-common species are faring, which in turn helps to build a wider picture of how all butterflies and moths are doing.”
This year’s Big Butterfly Count takes place from Friday 17 July to Sunday 9 August, and for more information or to take part, people can visit www.bigbutterflycount.org
