Teinopalpus imperialis (Hope, 1843)

Many thanks are extended to the donors of the splendid photographs of this beautiful insect. Without the contributions of visitors such as these, this site would not exist!!
Assam, July 1980 male, recto ssp imperialis  Photo courtesy Panganiban male verso (same specimen as left) ssp imperialis
Khasi Hills, India; 7/58, female  ssp. imperialis Burma; June 1930  ssp imperatrix  male 
Tenasserim Burma;  ssp imperatrix  male recto Tenasserim Burma;  ssp imperatrix  male verso
Fang, North Thailand (only data)- male ssp bhumipholi
 recto		 Fang, North Thailand (only data)- male  ssp bhumipholi
 verso
Fang, Thailand  ssp bhumipholi female verso Fang, Thailand  ssp bhumipholi female verso
Szechuan Province, China  ssp behludinii male recto Szechuan Province, China  ssp. behludinii male verso
Szechuan Province, China  ssp behludinii female recto Szechuan Province, China  ssp behludinii female verso

   Widespread but local in the Himalayas from N India and Nepal to Bhutan, Burma and SW China. Prized by collectors, it is a forest species that does not persist after environmental disturbance. Males fly fast in the forest canopy and are difficult to capture, though fair numbers may be found hilltopping during the peak season. Females are more secretive and generally fly alone in dense forest. Listed in appendix II of CITES in the late 1980's - efforts are being made for commercial breeding in China, and all subspecies have now been bred and studied fairly extensively. Several subspecies have been described; imperatrix (Burma), bhumipholi (N Thialand), behludinii (SW China)