An 'Exmoor Ponies in Conservation' project

The Peacock common name for a large butterfly widespread in Britain and ranging throughout western Europe and temperate Asia. The upper surfaces of its wings are chocolate brown, with prominent purple eyespots on the hindwings. Seen upside-down, the pattern bears a remarkable resemblance to an owl's face. When threatened, the peacock butterfly flashes its wings open and makes a rustling sound by rubbing them together. The undersurfaces of the wings are a mottled grey-brown, providing excellent camouflage when the insect rests on bark.

The conspicuous eyespot markings of the peacock butterfly,
make the insect unmistakable.
The butterfly uses its patterning in self-defence,
opening its wings if threatened by a bird and
attempting to alarm the attacker by turning the pattern towards it,
and even making a noise by rubbing its wings together.