Luck belongs to the one who hunts it

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0 Many Grins
edited July 18, 2017 in Wildlife

This butterfly - Lesser Purple Emperor (Apatura ilia) - is declared rare in Denmark and only lives in a small wood close to Copenhagen. For the last decade and a little more I have chased it every summer. It only flies for about a month and normally high among the trees.

Two days ago it was kind enough to land on my rucksack and allow me to take some photos.

Why "Purple" in the name? Because the color of the male's wings change when the sun hits them in the right angle.

Why "Lesser" in the name? Because it has a close and little bigger relative called Purple Emperor (Apatura iris).

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