Fluttering Everywhere. Aglais io, European Peacock Butterfly, W.H. Vliegenbos, Amsterdam Nieuwendam, The Netherlands
As I was walking yesterday through pretty W.H. Vliegenbos and admiring a Spring pond, suddenly there it was, Beautiful European Peacock Butterfly. First called generically Aglais by Johan Wilhelm Dalman (1787-1828); earlier it went by the generic Papilio, used for many Butterflies. 'Papilio' is probably ultimately derived from a Proto-Indo-European word - 'pal' - meaning something like 'shake', 'shaking'. The reduplication to 'papilio' can be rendered, I think, into English as 'flutter', 'flutterer'. Aglais io is not very particular where it'll flutter as long as there are nectar-producing plants or water nearby. And such there were in the pleasant wood.
'Aglais' does not belie its name. Aglaea, from which it's derived, is one of the three Classical Graces, who boasted great splendor and brilliance. Voilà!
Fluttering Everywhere. Aglais io, European Peacock Butterfly, W.H. Vliegenbos, Amsterdam Nieuwendam, The Netherlands
As I was walking yesterday through pretty W.H. Vliegenbos and admiring a Spring pond, suddenly there it was, Beautiful European Peacock Butterfly. First called generically Aglais by Johan Wilhelm Dalman (1787-1828); earlier it went by the generic Papilio, used for many Butterflies. 'Papilio' is probably ultimately derived from a Proto-Indo-European word - 'pal' - meaning something like 'shake', 'shaking'. The reduplication to 'papilio' can be rendered, I think, into English as 'flutter', 'flutterer'. Aglais io is not very particular where it'll flutter as long as there are nectar-producing plants or water nearby. And such there were in the pleasant wood.
'Aglais' does not belie its name. Aglaea, from which it's derived, is one of the three Classical Graces, who boasted great splendor and brilliance. Voilà!