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White Peacock

Photo by Kyle Sweet, Santiva Chronicle

 

Next time you’re out on a wildlife walk on Sanibel Island, keep an eye out for the White Peacock, one of the most common butterflies in Florida, and one of the most beautiful.

The name “Peacock” comes from the large “eye spot” on each of the butterfly’s four wings.  These eye dots have the appearance of peacock feathers.  They may seem lovely and fragile, but don’t their appearance fool you.  Peacock butterflies know how to handle predators.  As soon as they sense danger, they stop moving and pretend to be a leaf in order to blend in with the surroundings.  If disturbed, the peacock butterfly also rubs its wings together to make a hissing sound; this combined with its large eye-spots helps to deter predators.

To learn more about the White Peacock, view the video below by wildlife biologist Dr. Jerry Jackson from Florida Gulf Coast University:

 

 

 

 

 

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