The votes are in on Britain\u2019s favourite butterfly, and it is one of the most ubiquitous yet spectacular backyard beauties that has flown to victory.<\/p>\n
With its lavender, yellow and maroon eye spots and luscious rusty red and black colouration, the peacock butterfly<\/a> is both beautiful and commonplace, flying throughout spring, summer and autumn in all corners of the British Isles.<\/p>\n It beat 59 other native species in the charity Butterfly Conservation\u2019s poll<\/a> to find the nation\u2019s favourite for the first time, in which more than 20,000 votes were cast. The rest of the rainbow coalition top five were the orange-tip<\/a> in second place, the red admiral in third, followed by the holly blue and the sulphur-yellow brimstone.<\/p>\n The runner-up was the orange-tip butterfly. Photograph: Albaimages\/Alamy<\/p>\n All five are common species widely seen in gardens, parks and suburbs across most of the country. More elusive and endangered species fared less well, with Britain\u2019s largest butterfly, the swallowtail, finishing ninth, possibly because this exotic-looking insect is usually seen only in the wild of the Norfolk Broads. The charismatic, iridescent purple emperor, which is adored by a vibrant subculture of enthusiasts<\/a>, finished in an unexpectedly lowly 15th position.<\/p>\n Although voters eschewed some of the showiest of lepidoptera, moth-like skippers and beautiful but less colourful butterflies received little support: all of the bottom 10 were grey, brown, golden-brown or black-winged insects.<\/p>\n Kate Merry, the head of engagement at Butterfly Conservation, said: \u201cThe response to Britain\u2019s favourite butterfly<\/a> has been absolutely wonderful, and we\u2019re not surprised. It\u2019s clear that people up and down the country love butterflies of all shapes, sizes and colours, and voted in their thousands for their favourites.<\/p>\n Third place went to the red admiral butterfly. Photograph: Mark Searle\/PA<\/p>\n \u201cThe peacock is a worthy winner, it\u2019s a true showstopper and a species that I bet a lot of us picture when we think of butterflies. It\u2019s been really special seeing people get so passionate about their favourites and throw their support behind them! Now we can\u2019t wait to see how many peacocks are spotted up and down the country in this summer\u2019s Big Butterfly Count<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n The peacock is a frontrunner to be the most-seen insect in this year\u2019s Big Butterfly Count because butterfly enthusiasts are reporting large numbers of its caterpillars on nettles at present, which should lead to a big emergence in mid-July.<\/p>\n The count is the world\u2019s largest butterfly survey, in which participants spend 15 minutes in any outdoor space counting the butterflies and day-flying moths they see before submitting their sightings via a free app or website. It starts on 17 July.<\/p>\n