ORIGINAL Hand Signed Peacock Butterfly Pastel Drawing "Aglais io"

Original hand signed drawing titled "Aglais io" of a peacock butterfly. Completed in July of 2020, using pastel pencils and imitation gold leaf on Pastelmat paper, it depicts a European peacock butterfly. 
 
This beautiful species is found throughout much of Europe and are widespread across the British Isles. They have a wingspan of approximately 6.3cm, are found within gardens, woodlands, parks, and hedgerows all year round but are most typically seen on sunny days between March and September, and they feed on nectar from flowers ⚘
 
Black in colour with speckled white spots and short spines, the peacock caterpillars are usually found on stinging nettles where they spin and share a communal web with others when young. As they grow they increasingly live in the open before pupating alone and emerging out of their chrysalis as adults approx. 12 days later. The butterfly then must open it's new wings and wait for them to harden before flying off and establishing a territory.
 
In recent decades, Britain's butterflies have drastically reduced in numbers, with the 2015 'State of Nature' report describing a 76% decline in the abundance/occurrence of our resident butterfly species Butterflies have an innate sensitivity to changes in their surroundings making them critical indicators of general ecosystem health, and so this decline is not only a threat for our UK butterfly population, but also stands as a precursor for the decline of our wider environment. - @Bumblemag
 
10% of profit from the sale of this piece will be donated to Butterfly Conservation, a British charity dedicated to saving butterflies, moths, and their habitats throughout the UK
 
The drawing measures 30cm wide by 24cm high. Copyright remains with the artist.
 
Note: The piece for sale does not have the writing "Aglais io, Peacock Butterfly" on the drawing as depicted in pictures 1 and 6.
 
This will be carefully packaged and sent by tracked and signed for mail.