Butterflies have different color patterns on their wings, and purple looks alluring and attractive on their bodies when they flap or open their wings. Variable genes and structural colors are involved in deciding the patterns and shades of their bodies.
Can Butterflies Be Purple? Butterflies can be purple, but they exist with different color combinations, as no butterfly with a whole purple color body has been observed yet. They are rare and most commonly live in tropical forests, woodlands, and near water bodies. They usually feed on the flower nectar, while some species show puddling behavior and eat the honeydew of aphids.
They show complementary and combined color patterns on their wings to camouflage in their habitat, and some species have eyespots to scare or startle predators. People relate these colorful flying insects with many symbolic meanings and strongly believe them.
Do purple butterflies exist?
Purple butterflies are real and exist in different regions of the world. They do not have this color on their bodies and wings, but some spots and contrasting mixtures of different colors.
However, some species have a more prominent purple appearance on the dorsal or ventral sides of the wings. They are commonly found throughout the summer in many parts of the United States and Europe and are less visible in winter.
Moreover, I saw a purple butterfly a few days ago in my garden, and I was delighted to see it because I had never seen this colorful insect with a delicate appearance.
I thought these butterflies were not real when I saw their paintings in art gallery exhibitions, but it was the first time I saw them live feeding on the lavender plants in my yard.
I searched about them and learned that there are only a few species of this color butterflies, but they are real and exist without any doubt.
What type of butterflies are purple?
Some famous purple butterflies include the Great Purple Emperor, Florida Purplewing, Lesser Purple Emperor, Pavon Emperor, and Freyer’s Purple Emperor.
They have a purple sheen on their wings, along with many other shades. For example, the male purple emperor has a gray and brown appearance on the ventral side of their wings and purple hues on the dorsal side.
They feed on the honeydew from aphids and are usually found on the oak trees, as their caterpillars also feed on these oak trees.
The great purple emperor is also a national butterfly of Japan because my friend from Tokyo told me that people consider them a sign of purity and happiness.
Moreover, I studied some other butterfly species and came to know that the lesser purple emperor is among the few true purple butterfly species and has many morphs, such as different species having varying shades on their wings.
In addition, Purple-owl butterflies are one of the largest butterfly species with a wingspan of 100-120 mm. They have a prominent blue color on the inner wing parts close to the body and a black and purple shade on the outer wing sides.
These beautiful creatures are considered to have this color due to the plants they feed, such as purple arrowroot.
Furthermore, purple crow butterflies do not have a prominent shade of this color in shaded areas and are more visible in sunlight or when they come out at noon.
Agathina Emperor, Purple Cerulean, Purple-washed eyed-metalmark, Colorado Hairstreak, Purple Oak Blue, Indian Purple Emperor, and Pansy Daggerwing also have purple color on the dorsal sides of their wings but do not have the same color throughout the body and wings.
Moreover, my friend has a Freyer’s purple emperor and told me that these species primarily feed on the carrions and mud to get all essential minerals and nutrients and have deep purple color on the ventral side of their wings and white, orange, brown, and gray on their upper and lower wing surfaces.
Some other purple butterfly species include Purple beak, Queen Purple tip, Glazed Pellicia, Cuvier’s purplewing, Malayan Assyrian, and Powdered Oakblue.
Are purple butterflies rare?
These butterflies are rare because they are not commonly seen in urban and suburban areas. A few of them are endangered due to habitat loss and global warming.
They are common in some parts of the world where people frequently witness them feeding in their flower gardens, while others do not encounter them around their living sites.
For example, purple emperor and hairstreak butterflies are commonly observed in different regions of the UK, Anatolia, and Africa.
However, these species are rare to witness in Asia and different states of America. So, they are generally considered rare compared to other color species.
Where are purple butterflies commonly found?
They are usually found in tropical forests and near water bodies because they need moisture and cannot thrive in dry weather.
They live in woodlands around their host plants. Moreover, some species live in Southeastern America, such as Texas and Kansas.
Pavon Emperor Butterflies are most likely to occur in Mexico and North America compared to Southern Texas. Similarly, Great Purple Emperors are found in Japan, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Central-Southern England.
Purple owl and Agathina Emperor Butterflies are commonly present in Brazil and Amazon regions, and Purple-washed eyed metalmark are present in central and southern areas of the United States.
Some of their species are found in North and South America. Purple beak lives in India, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, and Southeast Asia.
They usually live in the regions where they can find their host plants and suitable environments to reproduce and find a large number of mates.
They usually live four to five weeks, and some species show semi-migratory behavior when the surrounding conditions are not preferable. They are efficient fliers and usually roost or sit on the high trees in the forests.
Are purple butterflies poisonous?
They are not poisonous because they usually feed on oak trees, animal feces, and nectar from different plants and show puddling behavior.
The caterpillars live on the host plants and have different techniques to protect themselves from harsh environmental factors.
However, my neighbor told me the Red-spotted Purple Butterflies look similar to the Pipevine Swallowtail Butterflies.
He said the Pipevine Swallowtail is poisonous because it feeds on toxic plants to get nutrients. Therefore, people think the Red-Spotted Purple butterflies are poisonous due to their appearance as the Pipevine Swallowtail.
Moreover, he explained that he saw a red-spotted purple butterfly in a woodland, and it smartly mimicked its wing patterns and body color to deter the predators in the surroundings.
Furthermore, he said purple-colored butterflies are not poisonous to humans. However, it is better to avoid touching these delicate creatures because the scales on their wings can cause irritation or etching.
What do purple butterflies represent?
Different color butterflies have different symbolic meanings and are generally associated with rebirth, transformation, and happiness.
People relate the purple color butterflies with royalty, a second chance, and a change in the upcoming life events in a positive way.
They are also the sign that the time has come to ponder the situations you have been ignoring for a long time and make decisions.
For example, people believe that seeing a purple butterfly means you should give yourself a second chance and embrace your journey from nothing to something.
Moreover, they also represent that you should care for yourself and look into your soul to learn more about your goals.
In addition, my colleague said that people in different cultures, such as the Japanese, link purple species with special meanings, relating them to rebirth, growth, and fascinating changes in life after hardships and struggles.
Seeing these butterflies in dreams shows serenity and inner strength to overcome the challenges in tough times with determination.
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