Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. The Lesser Purple Emperor, or Apatura ilia, is a species of butterfly native to most of Europe and Asia. It is named for its similarity to the Purple Emperor butterfly. The wingspan is 55-60 mm. The moth flies from June to July depending on the location.In March 1987 DPR Korea issued a postage stamp depicting Apatura ilia.In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring.