Three suspects accused of illegally collecting the eggs of a protected butterfly in Yamagata Prefecture have been arrested, law enforcers said Thursday.

The suspects, a 46-year-old man from Kanagawa Prefecture, and a 33-year-old man and 33-year-old woman from Niigata Prefecture, were arrested on suspicion of violating a prefectural ordinance on the protection of cultural assets.

The 46-year-old suspect, Yoshihiro Sugafuji, has reportedly admitted involvement in the incident.

“I intended to incubate the eggs and raise them into adults,” Sugafuji was quoted as telling investigators.

Investigators said the 33-year-old suspects collected about 280 eggs of the rare Korean red hairstreak butterfly in a protected area of Kawanishi, Yamagata Prefecture, between March 27 and 28 this year, at Sugafuji’s request. The butterfly is designated by the Yamagata Prefectural Government as a natural treasure.

One of the 33-year-old suspects had met Sugafuji through an Internet site, and they both had an interest in butterflies. All of the eggs were posted to Sugafuji, but none of them survived.

(每日新闻)