Common imperial facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Common imperial
Scientific classification

The Cheritra freja, also known as the common imperial, is a small and pretty butterfly. You can find it in countries like India, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. This butterfly is part of the gossamer-winged butterflies family, called Lycaenidae. These butterflies are often known for their delicate and sometimes shiny wings.

A Common Imperial butterfly in West Bengal, India

Different Types of Common Imperials

Just like there are different breeds of dogs, there are different types of butterflies within a species. These are called subspecies. They might look a little different or live in different places. For the Common Imperial, scientists have found several subspecies. Each one has a slightly different home.

• Cheritra freja freja lives in Myanmar and Thailand.
• Cheritra freja butleri is found in south India.
• Cheritra freja evansi makes its home in northeast India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.
• Cheritra freja frigga can be seen in peninsular Malaya, Singapore, and Sumatra.
• Cheritra freja pseudojafra lives in Sri Lanka.

Cheritra freja freja museum specimens from Thailand

What Does the Common Imperial Look Like?

The Common Imperial butterfly has a brown color on its upper side. It also has clear white bands across its wings. Its back wings, called hindwings, have a small tail. When you look at the butterfly from underneath, its color changes. The underside is usually a pale yellow or white. It also has thin black lines around the edges of its wings.

Life Cycle of the Butterfly

Like all butterflies, the Common Imperial goes through an amazing transformation. This is called metamorphosis. It starts as a tiny egg. Then, it hatches into a larva, which is a caterpillar. The caterpillar eats a lot and grows bigger. After growing, it turns into a pupa, also known as a chrysalis. Inside the chrysalis, the caterpillar changes into a butterfly. Finally, the beautiful adult butterfly, called an imago, emerges. It then flies around, sips nectar, and lays eggs to start the cycle all over again.

• Life cycle
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  Eggs

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  Larvae

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  Chrysalis

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  Chrysalis

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  Imago (dorsal view)

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  Imago (ventral view)

See also

• List of butterflies of India
• List of butterflies of India (Lycaenidae)