¦ noun a large woodland butterfly that has iridescent purplish-black wings with white markings. [Apatura iris.]
Apatura ilia
SPECIES OF BUTTERFLY
Lesser purple emperor; Lesser Purple Emperor
Apatura ilia, the lesser purpleemperor, is a species of butterfly native to most of Europe and east across the Palearctic. It is named for its similarity to the purpleemperor butterfly.
Apatura metis, the Freyer's purpleemperor, is a species of butterfly found in Eurasia."Apatura metis Freyer, 1829" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms