Peacock butterflies will soon emerge from their winter sleep says Sue Curnock of the Sussex Wildlife Trust

Butterflies are often associated with summer, but peacock butterflies begin to emerge on warm days in late March. These brightly-coloured insects hibernate as adults during the winter in hollow trees, hedgerows and even houses.

Peacock butterflies are named for the spectacular, colourful ‘eyespots’ on their wings, which help to repel predators such as mice. Another clever self-preservation strategy is their ability to make a hissing sound by rubbing their wings together. At rest, their closed underwings appear almost black, providing perfect camouflage against a tree trunk, and a stark contrast to the stunning display when opened.

Look for peacock butterflies in gardens, orchards or anywhere there are plenty of flowers to dip into with their long tubular tongue, or proboscis. They prefer nectar from thistles, hawkweeds and bluebells, but also feed on fallen fruit in late summer.

Soon after emerging from their winter sleep peacock butterflies look for a mate. The males set up fiercely guarded territories and wait for a passing female. Soon after, the females lay untidy piles of up to 400 eggs on the underside of nettle leaves, taking great care to select a sunny, sheltered spot. Their caterpillars are distinctive jet black with white spots and black shiny spines. After building a communal protective web they set to work munching their way through the juicy nettle tips. The magnificent adults emerge in July and spend the summer building up body fats to carry them through the winter, before the whole cycle begins again.

If you have a wildlife query, ring Sussex Wildlife Trust’s free hotline, WildCall, on 01273 494777 or visit the advice pages on their website www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk