| Family | Nymphalidae |
|---|---|
| Subfamily | Apaturinae |
| Genus | Apatura |
| Species | ilia |
| Authority | ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) |
| English Name | Lesser Purple Emperor |
| European Red List 2010 | Least Concern (LC) |
|---|---|
| EU 27 Red List 2010 | Least Concern (LC) |
| European Red List 2025 | Least Concern (LC) |
| EU 27 Red List 2025 | Least Concern (LC) |
| Habitats Directive | |
| Bern Convention | |
| CITES |
The Lesser Purple Emperor is found in clearings and along paths in damp, deciduous woodland that is often situated in river valleys or on the banks of rivers. The butterflies are often seen near puddles on the road, and on dung from other animals. Especially the males are attracted to strongly smelling cheese. Its foodplants are poplars (Populus spp.), and willows (Salix spp.). The female, choosing rather small, not so robust trees, deposits her eggs on the upperside of leaves that are half in the shade, or in the sun. The half-grown caterpillar spins itself a little pad in the fork of a twig on which it hibernates. In the spring, it returns to the fresh buds and leaves to feed. It pupates suspended from the underside of a leaf or branch. The Lesser Purple Emperor has one to two broods a year.
Albania / Andorra / Austria / Belarus / Belgium / Belgium: Flanders / Belgium: Wallonia / Bosnia and Herzegovina / Bulgaria / Croatia / Czechia / Denmark / Estonia / Finland / France / France: Mainland / Germany / Greece / Greece: Mainland / Hungary / Italy / Italy: Mainland / Latvia / Liechtenstein / Lithuania / Luxembourg / North Macedonia / Moldova / Montenegro / Netherlands (Irregular Vagrant) / Poland / Portugal / Portugal: Mainland / Romania / European Russia / Serbia / Serbia: Serbia / Serbia: Kosovo / Slovakia / Slovenia / Spain / Spain: Mainland / Sweden / Switzerland / Ukraine /