Lesser Purple Emperor

Habitat: Open areas and paths in deciduous forests with host plants. Wooded river valleys, especially riverbanks where host plants are abundant.

Appearance: Central and Southern Europe. Not found as a resident butterfly in Great Britain, the Netherlands, North-West Germany, Fennoscandia, and Southern Italy. Found scattered throughout the south-east of Belgium. Very rare in the Netherlands.

Flying time: One or two generations, late May to July or June and August to September.

Characteristics: Wingspan 50-60 mm.

Life cycle: The host plant is the Common aspen (Populus tremula). The eggs are laid on the upper side of the leaves. The caterpillars develop almost exclusively on aspen and, exceptionally, on other poplar species and Great sallow (Salix caprea). Hibernates as a young caterpillar. Unlike many other species, these butterflies do not feed on nectar. They obtain their nutrition from the sap of rotting plants and fermenting fruit. They are also attracted to less common sources, such as tree sap, excrement and carcasses.