What is the nation's favourite butterfly?
The Peacock butterfly was voted the clear winner of the nation's favourite butterfly poll
- Published
The colourful Peacock butterfly has soared to the top spot in a poll revealing the nation's favourite butterfly.
The Peacock beat 59 other British species in the vote, which was organised by the Butterfly Conservation charity.
It fended off strong competition from a rainbow of colourful butterflies that fluttered to the top five, the conservationists said.
The Orange-tip butterfly came a close second to the peacock, followed by Red Admirals in third, Holly Blues in fourth and the bright Yellow Brimstone butterfly in fifth.
Do you have a fave butterfly? Are you a fan of the colourful insects?
Have your say in the comments below...
Butterfly numbers rise in UK but not by enough, experts say
- Published9 September 2025
Your Planet: Environmental news from around the world
- Published2 days ago
Peacock butterflies come in striking colours and are often bright red with a spectacular pattern of eyespots, which evolved to confuse predators.
They are often seen in gardens and green spaces across the whole of the UK.
They're especially fond of nettles because their baby caterpillars will happily chomp through a whole patch while they're growing.
The Red Admiral is also a beloved British butterfly
Kate Merry of the Butterfly Conservation said the response to Britain's Favourite Butterfly poll has been "absolutely wonderful".
"It's clear that people up and down the country love butterflies of all shapes, sizes and colours, and voted in their thousands for their favourites," she said.
"The peacock is a worthy winner, it's a true showstopper and a species that I bet a lot of us picture when we think of butterflies."
She is also encouraging everyone to take part in this year's Big Butterfly Count, to see how many of the UK's 60 butterfly species they can spot.
It's a nature survey organised by the Butterfly Conservation that takes place in the UK each year.
It involves volunteers spending 15 minutes outdoors to count how many butterflies they see, and what they look like, to help give the charity a better picture of how butterflies are doing in the UK.
Orange-tip butterflies are often seen in UK gardens and hedgerows
The charity declared a "butterfly emergency" in 2024 as numbers recorded during its annual Big Butterfly Count fell to a record low.
"This information will help conservationists to see how some of our more-common species are faring, which in turn helps to build a wider picture of how all butterflies and moths are doing," Merry added.
This year's Big Butterfly Count takes place from Friday 17 July to Sunday 9 August.
Butterflies play a very important role in our ecosystems, helping pollinate flowers and plants, controlling pests and providing food for other animals, like birds and bats.
Butterflies and moths are also super ancient insects - they've been around for at least 50 million years, although some say it could be closer to 150 million.
Currently, more than three-quarters of UK butterfly species are now in decline.
What do you love about butterflies? Do you have a fave butterfly?
Have your say in the comments below...
