Peacock Butterfly vs Heart and Dart

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Peacock Butterfly Heart and Dart
Scientific Name Aglais io Agrotis exclamationis
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Nymphalidae Noctuidae
Size 50-55 mm wingspan 32-40 mm wingspan
Habitat Underground Farmland
Diet Nectar Feeders Root Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia Europe, temperate Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Peacock Butterfly

Reddish-brown wings with four large blue and yellow eyespots resembling peacock feathers. Undersides are nearly black, providing camouflage when at rest.

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Did You Know?

When threatened, it rapidly opens its wings to flash its eyespots while making a hissing sound.

Heart and Dart

An extremely common brown moth named for the heart and dart-shaped markings on its forewing. It is often the most abundant species in light traps across Europe.

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Did You Know?

A single light trap can capture over a thousand individuals in one night during peak emergence.