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Apatura metis / Freyer's Purple Emperor
Perandori i purpurt i Freyerit
Nymphalidae - Apaturinae
Apatura metis Freyer, 1829. TL: Pecs, Hungary.
 
  
1a. Apatura metis, distribution map.  Historical data ;  Additional data from the 2018 update ;  New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Apatura metis. Skhodra Lake, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1c. Habitat of Apatura metis. Greece (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1d. Apatura metis ♂ underside. Shkodra Lake, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1e. Apatura metis ♂ upperside. Shkodra Lake, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
Description
♂♂
Large butterfly. Fw: 30-32 mm, the smallest of the Apatura.
Ups: irridiscent purple-blue flush on dark gc, markings orange.
Upf: s4 to s6 postdiscal yellow spots wide, s2 ocellus small, sharp apex.
Uph: orange discal band with a distinct bulge, dark posdiscal markings forming a distintive band, s2 ocellus often lacking.
Unf: smalr ocellus.
Unh: ocellus very small or absent.
♀♀
Larger.
Ups: no irridiscent purple-blue flush on dark gc, markings orange.
Upf: rounded apex, markings similar.
Similar species
Life cycle
Adults: two generations from May to June and from second half of July to end-August.
Egg: short stage.
Caterpillar: overwintering as L2 larva.
Pupa: short stage.
Habitat
Apatura metis inhabits forests along lakes, wetlands and rivers from lowland up to 700 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement considerable, population density can be very high.
Foodplants
Caterpillars feed on Salix alba.
Butterflies feed on liquid from rotten material, dung and carrion, mud-puddling.
Distribution
Albania: very local (more research needed)
Balkan: AL - BG - BIH - GR - HR - NMK - MNE - RKS - RO - SLO - SRB
Europe: IB - IT - ALP - BAL - NWE - UK - SCA - EEU*
Temperate parts of W. Asia and further east.
Conservation status
Apatura metis is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: VU.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: LC.
Useful links
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps
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sllightly larger Apatura.
less elongated wing.
large black ocellus in s2.
narrow postdiscal spots in s3 to s6. 
no angle in discal band on v3.
slightly concave discal band.
pale orange-brown gc.
dentate on outer side of discal band.