In previous butterfly articles, we discussed a lot of butterflies with different colors. In this post, we will discuss some of these amazing creatures, i.e., the purple butterfly.
These butterflies evolved in such a way that they get purple coloration on their wings, which helps them better survive in nature. They are beautiful yet fascinating, and they have many secrets to reveal.
I will introduce you to these remarkable creatures and some interesting facts about them in this article. Here is a list of 15 types of purple butterflies found in nature, so let’s get started.
What is the spiritual meaning of the purple butterfly?
The spiritual meaning of purple butterflies depends on different cultures. In general, purple represents creativity, royalty, femininity, and spirituality. But in some cultures, it symbolizes love, magic, and good luck.
If you see a purple butterfly, it reflects your spiritual journey as well. It can be a sign of new change and chance, or it can show you a new path of enlightenment.
Dingy purple wing or Florida purple wing are common names for this dazzling Eunica monima.
Commonly found in the West Indies, Mexico, and South America. They show sexual dimorphism, females show brownish coloration on forewings, and males’ forewings are brown with purple margins.
Their wings have characteristic white spots, which are six in number in both sexes and somewhat blurry in females compared to males. They are small butterflies with a wingspan of 1 to 2 inches.
Morphinae subfamily member purple mort bleu is a close relative of owl butterflies. They have the same eyespots on their ventral wings, just like them.
Like the owl butterflies, they open their wings rarely, and when they do, one can get a view of beautiful purplish blue wings with broad black markings. They are medium-sized, with an average wingspan of 4 to 5 inches. They mostly feed on fallen fruits on the ground and flower nectar.
Another species on the purple butterfly list is the purple beak butterfly. One can find these beautiful butterflies in Southeast Asia, including India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
They are medium-sized and have an average wingspan of 5 cm. Males are totally different from females. Males have purple wings with dark brown wings, whereas females are brown and don’t show any purple nuances. They primarily prefer fallen fruits to feed on.
Powdered oakblue | Credit: The Nature Box (commons.wikimedia) (CC BY 4.0)
Scientific name
Arhopala bazalus
Size
2 to 3 inches of wingspan
Identification
Have brown and purple sections on their forewings
Geographical location
Myanmar, China, India, Japan, Philippines, and Taiwan
Arhopala bazalus, or powdered oak blue, is native to Myanmar, China, India, Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan. These butterflies show remarkable bands of purple and brown colors. Both males and females show purple coloration, unlike the above butterfly species.
Purple bands in females are much paler than in males. These evergreen forests’ inhabitants mostly prefer oak species. They often mimic dead leaves because of the dark brown nuances on their wings.
Japan, China, the Korean peninsula, Taiwan, and Vietnam
This incredibly great purple emperor is the national butterfly of Japan. As their name suggests, they are large, with a wingspan of 2.6 inches. It is commonly found in Japan, China, the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, and Vietnam, inhabiting woods or beechwood forests from lowlands to low elevations.
They have bluish-purple wings with white and yellow spots all over them and brown margins. Talking about their diet, they mostly prefer honeydew from aphids and tree saps.
6. Indian purple emperor
Scientific name
Mimathyma ambica
Size
50 to 60 mm of wingspan
Identification
Have black wings with white and blue bands
Geographical location
Asia
Mimathyma ambica, commonly known as the Indian Purple Emperor, is a nymphalid butterfly in Asia. This Indian-originated species was popularized by Victorians and is now found all across the world.
These butterflies have almost black wings with white spots and bands. They have bluish-purple bands on their hindwings, which make them attractive.
They occur in many color forms in different regions. With an average wingspan of 50 to 60 cm, these butterflies have a special place in Indian biodiversity.
Now we have purple owl butterflies on this list. This butterfly consists of many colors, like yellow, brown, blue, and purple. The purple owl butterfly is one of the largest butterflies in the world, with an average wingspan of 120 mm.
Like their color, they primarily feed on purple arrowroot flowers. These butterflies are mostly purplish-blue with brown underparts and remarkable orangish-yellow tips.
Mesosemia lamachus, or purple washed-eyed metal mark, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Riodinidae. These Central and South American butterflies mostly prefer tropical and neo-tropical climates.
They have remarkable purplish blue eyespots that are lined with yellow. Apart from that, their forewings are brown, whereas their hindwings are purplish-blue.
Agathina Emperor has sexual dimorphism. Males have purple wings with orange spots, whereas females are brown with dark orange bands. They are medium-sized and have a wingspan of 2 inches.
One can easily find these species in Brazil and the Amazon region. They mostly feed on animals, rotting matter, and plants.
10. Queen purple tip
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Queen purple tip | Credit: Robert Taylor (@inaturalist)
Scientific name
Colotis regina
Size
45 to 62 mm
Identification
White wings with purple tip
Geographical location
Afrotropical realm
You must have seen or heard of the orange-yellow tip, but have you ever heard of the queen-purple tip? The Queen Purple Tip Butterfly is a beautiful purple and white butterfly. Their unique yet distinctive appearance makes them the most beautiful butterflies in the world.
With a wingspan of 45 to 62 mm, they are small with white wings and purple tips. This Pieridae family member is commonly found in the Afrotropical realm.
Have orange and purple bands on fore and hindwings, respectively
Geographical location
Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru
Pansies are known for their unique and beautiful appearances. This pansy dagger-wing butterfly is multicolored with orange, purple, and brown coloration.
They are commonly found in Central and South America, from Guatemala to Peru. Their forewings have orange bands, and their hindwings have beautiful purple coloration.
A short brown tail arises from their hindwings. As their name indicates, they mainly feed on flowers like pansies, violets, etc.
Have dark purple wings with orange spots on margins
Geographical location
Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and the Colorado Plateau states
The Colorado hairstreak is named after Colorado State and is commonly found in the southern United States and Mexico. They have dark purple wings with broad black bands.
Each wing has orange spots on its margins. These small butterflies with wingspans ranging from 3.1 to 3.8 cm mostly prefer honeydew, sap, and sugary secretions from oak galls. This Colorado state insect mostly inhabits oak scrublands.
13. Malayan Assyrian
Scientific name
Terinos clarissa
Size
3 to 4 inches of wingspan
Identification
Have black and purple coloration on the uppersides
Geographical location
Southeast Asia
Terinos clarissa, or Malayan Assyrian, is a beautiful butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. These butterflies are mostly purple-black with yellow hindwings, but some rare morphs have beautiful purple coloration on both their hind and forewings.
Their ventral brown wings often resemble dry leaves and have brown spots. Their dorsal sides have remarkable black-purple coloration, which stands them out in the crowd. medium-sized with a wingspan of 3 to 4 inches.
North Spain, France, Central Europe, and Northern Greece
Lesser purple emperor is a beautiful and rare butterfly found in North Spain, France, Central Europe, and Northern Greece. The females are comparatively larger than the males; females have a wingspan of 60 to 70 mm, and males have 55 to 60 mm.
A distinctive purple iridescence is present on its upper wings. Males are more beautiful than females, with metallic violet-blue coloration, whereas females are brown with white markings. They mostly feed on nectar, tree sap, and honeydew.
15. Glazed pellicia
Scientific name
Pellicia arina
Size
1 to 1.5 inches of wingspan
identification
Have iridescent blue green shade
Geographical location
Central America and Mexico
Glazed pellicia, or Pellicia arina, is commonly found in tropical regions of Central America and Mexico. They got their name from the glazed pellicia because of their distinctive pattern of iridescent blue and green scales on their wings.
Also, you can see dark-purple shades all over its body. They just give the purple color when the light strikes their wings.
These butterflies are small, with a wingspan of 1 to 1.5 inches, and can be seen flying in March and April. These forest edges and trails inhabit species that mostly prefer flower nectar.
16. Northern pearly eye
Scientific name
Lethe anthedon
Size
4.5 – 6.7 cm
identification
Have dark eyespots on the upper side of the wing
Geographical location
North America, from central Saskatchewan and eastern Nebraska east to Nova Scotia, south to central Alabama and Mississippi
This North American native prefers moist environments like forests, meadows, and marshes.
About their appearance, they are brown in color with a little hint of a purple hue and have characteristic eyespots on each wing, which not only makes them distinct but also protects them from predators.
Unlike other butterfly species, the northern pearly eye has the ability to fly in low-light conditions like dawn, dusk and cloudy days.
17. Purple crow butterfly
Scientific name
Euploea tulliolus
Size
4 to 8 cm
Identification
Have white spots on the edges of their forewing
Geographical location
Solomon Islands, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, and Australia
As you can see in this picture, the purple crow butterfly is a beautiful butterfly species with bluish-purple wings with brown margins and white spots on their edges, which just makes them more admirable.
They are commonly found in the Solomon Islands, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, and Australia.
They show migration from the north to the south.
These butterflies have the ability to produce sound by using their wings.
Due to their similar appearances, people frequently confuse Freyer’s purple emperor for a lesser purple emperor.
The upper side of the wings is allured with distinctive iridescent purplish blue coloration with orangish yellow bands over it, just adding cherry on top.
Primarily, they are found near rivers and streams, feeding on willow species. Due to their small population size, they are protected in Europe.
Conclusion
Here we conclude our article on 18 types of purple butterflies found in nature. You must have gained knowledge about these amazing creatures. I hope you like this article. We will be back with another butterfly article soon; till then, enjoy this.
Being a zoology student I’m always been fascinated toward animals especially insects. I love to do research and learn about different animals. As a writer I want to share my thoughts about nature through my articles. Apart from this you can find me exploring the new places and voice notes.
