Apatura metis

The Freyer's Purple Emperor (Apatura metis) is a species of butterfly found in Eurasia.

Appearance

Freyer's purple emperor has dark wings with reddish and yellow bands. The wings of the male insect are bluish purple if the observer sees it from the right angle.

Systematics

Freyer's purple emperor belongs to the genus Apatura, subfamily Apaturinae. The species is divided into seven subspecies:

• Apatura metis metis (South-Eastern Europe)
• Apatura metis bunea (South-European Russia, Caucasus)
• Apatura metis substituta (Japan)
• Apatura metis irtyshika (South-Western Siberia, Kazakhstan)
• Apatura metis separata (Transbaikalia)
• Apatura metis heijona (Korea, Amur and Ussuri regions)
• Apatura metis doii (Kurile islands)

Habitat and ecology

Freyer's purple emperor usually inhabits forests and is often found nearby rivers and streams. The female spends the majority of her life in the foliage. The largest habitat of the animal is the Gemenc forest in Southern Hungary. Although it is one of the rarest animals in Europe, it can be seen in large quantities there. In Europe, Freyer's purple emperor usually has one, sometimes two generations, the first in May and June, the second in July and August. The caterpillars feed on willow species.

This species is stoutly protected in Europe. The nominal worth of a single specimen is 50,000 HUF, which equals about USD $238.