Purple Emperor vs Essex Skipper
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Purple Emperor | Essex Skipper |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Apatura iris | Thymelicus lineola |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Nymphalidae | Hesperiidae |
| Size | 62-80 mm wingspan | 26-30 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Grasslands |
| Diet | Carrion Feeders | Omnivores |
| Regions | Europe, temperate Asia, Japan | Europe, western Asia (introduced to North America) |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Purple Emperor
A majestic woodland butterfly whose males display an intense iridescent purple sheen visible only at certain angles. It never visits flowers, preferring carrion, dung, and tree sap.
Did You Know?
Enthusiasts bait it down from the canopy using rotting shrimp, dirty nappies, or Stilton cheese.
Essex Skipper
A small orange-brown skipper so similar to the small skipper that it was not recognised as a separate British species until 1889. The undersides of its antenna tips are black, not orange.
Did You Know?
It was overlooked in Britain for over a century because it was confused with the nearly identical small skipper.