Peacock Butterfly (Inachis io)
The Peacock Butterfly (Inachis io) has the most beautifully apt scientic name from Greek mythology. Io was the daughter of Inachus, a Greek king. Io was loved by Zeus, but his jealous wife Hera was aware of this and metamorphosed her into a heifer, and set Argus to guard her. Argus had a hundred eyes, so was the ideal guard, but Zeus had him slayed. Hera then set Argus's eyes into the tail of the Peacock. So if you ever wondered why a Peacock's tail has a hundred eyes, now you know. And Argus crops up in many butterfly names, scientific and vernacular, usually where the butterfly has lots of eyespots.
2013 is certainly turning out to be a bumper Peacock year. This one was nectaring from a flower of Devil's Bit Scabious, but the flower head was so small it is totally eclipsed by the butterfly. This was taken yesterday in Denby Dale, West Yorkshire during yet another lunchtime walk.
Peacock Butterfly (Inachis io)
The Peacock Butterfly (Inachis io) has the most beautifully apt scientic name from Greek mythology. Io was the daughter of Inachus, a Greek king. Io was loved by Zeus, but his jealous wife Hera was aware of this and metamorphosed her into a heifer, and set Argus to guard her. Argus had a hundred eyes, so was the ideal guard, but Zeus had him slayed. Hera then set Argus's eyes into the tail of the Peacock. So if you ever wondered why a Peacock's tail has a hundred eyes, now you know. And Argus crops up in many butterfly names, scientific and vernacular, usually where the butterfly has lots of eyespots.
2013 is certainly turning out to be a bumper Peacock year. This one was nectaring from a flower of Devil's Bit Scabious, but the flower head was so small it is totally eclipsed by the butterfly. This was taken yesterday in Denby Dale, West Yorkshire during yet another lunchtime walk.