Butterfly peacock eye - the beauty of the detachment of Lepidoptera

The group of Lepidoptera yields to beetles in numbers, but surpasses them in beauty, because the most beautiful insects of the Earth-butterflies enter it. These bright, graceful creatures populated all the continents of our planet, except for Antarctica. All Butterflies are divided into seventeen families, one of which includes the peacock eye.

The name "Lepidoptera" this unit received because of the structure of its wings - they are covered with tiny scales, of which, like a mosaic, a motley pattern or pattern is made. Each species of these insects has an individual and unique color. Moreover, according to the arrangement of scales, each butterfly differs slightly from its "relatives". Patterns on their wings can be compared with our fingerprints - there are no identical fingerprints. Like people, butterflies perceive the world with five senses: sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste. The sharpest of them are the first two. The insect sees from afar the flower with its faceted eyes and senses its fragrance. The hairy butterfly body consists of the breast, abdomen and head. There is practically no circulatory system - only one vessel passes along the body.

However, the peacock eye, as well as the rest of the butterfly, is interesting not only in its structure and in its multicolored color. The life of these insects consists of continuous transformations. After the marriage dance adults of Lepidoptera lay eggs. In due time, caterpillars hatch from them. Having eaten fresh greens, they are wrapped in silk threads and become pupae. It is inside this cocoon and there is a fantastic transformation - ugly, and sometimes poisonous, caterpillar turns into a beautiful butterfly.

The same life cycle has also representatives of the peacock eye type. These butterflies, common throughout Russia, differ in the original coloration of the wings. Their outer side is decorated with a pattern similar to the eye, which is surrounded by a cherry-brown background, and the "back" side is lined with scales of black-brown color. The wingspan of this insect reaches six centimeters.

Eggs of the peacock eye usually lay in the middle of summer. As a rule, the butterfly leaves them on the nettle leaves, which feed on the caterpillars of this species. By the way, the last looks rather ugly. Black, white-dotted creatures with long jaws cluster into groups Malty shoots of plants. Destroying them, the caterpillars attach themselves to the trunks of trees and pupate. Butterflies of them appear in August, and their activity continues until October, after which the period of hibernation begins. By this time the peacock eye is arranged in a closed and cold place: if the temperature is too high, the butterfly will waste its energy reserve and die.

Inhabits a view in the gardens and gardens, on meadows, fields and forest edges. Appears this beautiful butterfly in urban parks. Insects of this species are divided into two varieties. Particularly noteworthy is the night peacock eye. It is considered the largest butterfly in Southern Europe and Asia Minor. The female of this species has fifteen centimeters wings, and its caterpillars live not on nettles, but on foliage of trees. Day peacock eye is not so great. You can meet him not only in Asia Minor, but also at his own dacha.