Scientific name: Vanessa io. This is a day butterfly from the Nymphalidae family. One of the most beautiful European butterflies. The wingspan reaches 15 cm. It is reddish-brown on top, with a mottled spot in the corner of the wing (one on each wing), very similar to an eye, and black below.
You can meet it in the forest - in a clearing or forest edge. And then, when there are still very few other insects - in early spring. More details in classification of these insects.
Peacock eye caterpillars are never numerous, feed only on nettles, so they do no harm. This is written in an article about the behavior of butterflies.
It is worth canceling that the "eyes" on the wings of a butterfly serve as a protective function for it. They scare away not only insects, but also many birds.
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