In Cornwall’s gardens, the Peacock butterfly and Michaelmas Daisy form a vivid autumn partnership—one feeding for winter survival, the other blooming at the year’s end in a final burst of life.
In the softened light of September in Cornwall, there is a scene repeated in gardens across the county. A deep red butterfly drifts across the border, its wings flashing blue and black eyespots as it lands on the violet blooms of a Michaelmas Daisy. The air still carries summer’s warmth, yet the garden is on the cusp of change. Here, butterfly and flower are bound in a seasonal exchange—one gathering the last energy of the year, the other offering a final act of generosity before the frost.
The Peacock butterfly (Aglais io, also historically known as Inachis io) is one of the most recognisable butterflies in Cornwall. Its bold pattern—four iridescent eyespots set in crimson wings—serves both as a warning and a disguise, startling predators and delighting human observers. With a wingspan averaging 55 mm (slightly larger in females), it is both striking and sturdy, comfortable basking on sun-warmed walls or weaving between late-summer flowers.
They are not tied to one landscape. In Cornwall they are equally at home in flower-rich meadows, woodland edges, village parks, and cottage gardens with their mix of cultivated blooms and wild corners.
Few places offer as much for the Peacock as Cornwall. The county’s mild climate and patchwork of landscapes provide everything it needs through the year. You will find it:
The key to its success lies in habitat diversity. Adults require nectar-rich sites for feeding, sheltered sunny spots for basking, and safe places to overwinter. Larvae depend entirely on stinging nettles (Urtica dioica), which thrive in disturbed ground along hedgerows, woodland margins, and garden edges.
The Peacock’s life in Cornwall is shaped by a single-brooded cycle. Some individuals may breed again if weather conditions are unusually favourable, but in most years there is only one main generation.
Spring (February–April)
In mild years, the first butterflies may emerge as early as mid-February from hibernation sites such as sheds, hollow trees, stone walls, or woodpiles. They feed on early nectar sources, then pair for mating. Females lay clusters of up to 500 eggs on fresh nettle growth.
Late Spring to Early Summer (May–June)
Caterpillars hatch and feed communally on nettles, moulting several times before dispersing to pupate on nearby stems or structures.
Mid to Late Summer (July–August)
The new adults emerge, filling gardens, meadows, and hedgerows. They feed on plants like buddleia and scabious, making the most of high-summer abundance.
Late Summer to Autumn (August–October)
As days shorten, the butterflies turn to late-flowering plants to build fat reserves for hibernation. This is when the Michaelmas Daisy becomes especially important in gardens.
Winter (Late October–February)
Adults hibernate in dark, undisturbed shelters. Occasionally, a mild winter day may tempt one into brief flight, though early activity risks survival.
Blooming from September to October, Michaelmas Daisies provide abundant nectar at the exact moment the Peacock needs to prepare for winter. Their open, clustered flowers allow for easy feeding, and their abundance means a butterfly can forage without expending much energy. Alongside ivy (Hedera helix) in hedgerows—which flowers from September to November and is a major nectar source in the wild—they form one of the last dependable food supplies of the year.
In a Cornish garden, a clump of Michaelmas Daisies dotted with Peacock butterflies is both beautiful and ecologically timely, with butterflies incidentally moving pollen between flowers as they feed.
Peacocks are generalists, thriving in a wide range of habitats and present in roughly 73% of recorded 1 km squares across the UK countryside. In Cornwall, they are among the most common butterflies seen in every parish.
This contrasts sharply with rarer species such as:
These specialists survive only in precise conditions, making them far more vulnerable to habitat loss than the adaptable Peacock.
In Cornwall, the sight of a Peacock butterfly on a Michaelmas Daisy is more than a pretty image. It is the culmination of a year’s cycle, the closing scene before winter stillness. It marks the point where garden and wild creature meet in mutual need—one blooming late, the other feeding late—each ensuring the other’s place in the turning of the year.
The Peacock butterfly is one of Cornwall’s most visible garden visitors, yet its appearances follow a seasonal rhythm shaped by climate and plant cycles. In very warm summers, late emergent individuals may give the impression of a second brood, but the species is predominantly single-brooded across the UK, including Cornwall.
Peacocks thrive in diverse habitats:
Peacocks spend winter as fully-formed adults tucked away in cool, dark, sheltered spaces such as sheds, barns, hollow trees, or woodpiles. This complete inactivity means sightings drop sharply outside their flight season, except for the occasional warm-day emergence.
Quick Reference – Peacock Butterfly in Cornwall
| Season | Stage | Where to Look | Key Plants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb–Apr | Adults emerging | Warm walls, hedgerows, lanes | Primroses, willows |
| May–Jun | Caterpillars | Nettle patches in sun | Stinging nettle |
| Jul–Aug | Peak adults | Meadows, gardens, parks | Buddleia, scabious, knapweed |
| Sep–Oct | Pre-hibernation feeding | Garden borders, ivy hedges | Michaelmas Daisy, ivy |
