Butterfly Conservation has announced the peacock butterfly as Britain’s favourite native butterfly, topping the charity’s first-ever public vote. The poll asked people to choose from 60 native species, and more than 20,000 votes were cast. The peacock butterfly, described as a familiar garden visitor found across the British Isles, is known for its distinctive wing colours and eye-spot patterns, with activity spanning spring, summer and autumn. Other sources note that the peacock beat 59 competing species to take the top spot.
Reporting also indicates that several other well-known species featured prominently in the results, including the orange-tip and the red admiral, which were highlighted as among the top vote-getters alongside the peacock. One outlet also mentions collector criticism, framing the result as reflecting public preference for colourful, commonly seen species rather than rarer butterflies.
Overall, the findings present a nationwide snapshot of public butterfly preferences, with the peacock taking first place in the charity’s nationwide contest.
