Butterfly noise?

[Steve Skingsley]

Hello
I was moving some logs during the winter when I came across a peacock butterfly, which I assume was hibernating.
As I looked closely it flashed its wings open and made a shhh sound. It continued to do this for some time. I even managed to get my video camera and tape it.
I did not know that butterflies made such a noise.
Can someone please tell me what was making the noise, perhaps the scales?

[Pete Eeles]

Hi Steve,

The Peacock makes this sound by rubbing the forewings and hindwings together.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Adrian Hoskins]

The noise made by Peacocks is well known, and happens when the butterflies rapidly open their wings after being disturbed. It appears to be a sort of warning noise, which accompanied by the sudden appearance of the "Peacock eyes" is probably effective in momentarily scaring a predator, and allowing the butterfly to escape. Sometimes however, Peacocks are seen with peck marks where birds have attacked the false "eyes", and in this case it is thought that the "eyes" have a secondary function in that they divert a bird's aim towards the "eyes", and away from the body of the butterfly.

Another butterfly which is famous for making a noise is the Cracker butterfly Hamadryas februa ( and some others of the same genus ) of the neotropics ( Central and South America ). Males bask on tree-trunks, and fly to challenge approaching males of the same ( or closely related ) species, making a very audible "cracking" noise, presumably conveying a "this is my territory" message.

Adrian Hoskins