List of butterflies of Great Britain

This is a list of butterflies of Great Britain, including extinct, naturalised species and those of dubious origin. The list comprises butterfly species listed in The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland by Emmet et al.^[1] and Britain's Butterflies by Tomlinson and Still.^[2]

A study by NERC in 2004 found there has been a species decline of 71% of butterfly species between 1983 and 2003.^[3] Species listed in the 2007 UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)^[4] are indicated by a double-dagger symbol (‡)—two species so listed for research purposes only are also indicated with an asterisk (‡*).

Contents 1 Hesperiidae – Skippers 2 Papilionidae – Swallowtails 3 Pieridae – Whites & Yellows 4 Lycaenidae – Hairstreaks, Coppers & Blues 5 Riodinidae – Metalmarks 6 Nymphalidae – Fritillaries, Nymphalids & Browns 7 Vagrant, Extinct and Exotic Species 8 References 9 See also

Hesperiidae – Skippers

Subfamily Heteropterinae

• Chequered Skipper – Carterocephalus palaemon ‡

— formerly thinly distributed in south and east, now confined to western Scotland

Subfamily Hesperiinae

• Small Skipper – Thymelicus sylvestris

— throughout Wales and England, except far north-east and north-west

• Essex Skipper – Thymelicus lineola

— throughout south-east England, with scattered populations in West Country and as far north as the River Humber

• Lulworth Skipper – Thymelicus acteon ‡

— confined to the south coast between Weymouth and Swanage

• Silver-spotted Skipper – Hesperia comma

— restricted to southern England: east Kent, east Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, north Dorset, south Wiltshire and the southern Chilterns

• Large Skipper – Ochlodes sylvanus [venata; venatus]

— throughout England and Wales, and north to south-west Scotland

Subfamily Pyrginae

• Dingy Skipper – Erynnis tages tages ‡

— thinly distributed through much of England and Wales, and in the Scottish Highlands

• Grizzled Skipper – Pyrgus malvae ‡

— southern England north to north-east Wales, and south-east Wales

Papilionidae – Swallowtails

Subfamily Papilioninae

• Swallowtail – Papilio machaon

• P. machaon britannicus (endemic subspecies) — confined to Norfolk Broads (formerly also in The Fens)
• P. machaon gorganus — rare migrant from Continental Europe to southern England and southern Wales

Pieridae – Whites & Yellows

Subfamily Dismorphiinae

• Wood White – Leptidea sinapis sinapis ‡

— Devon and west Somerset; Surrey; Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire; and Worcestershire and Herefordshire

Subfamily Coliadinae

• Clouded Yellow – Colias croceus

— immigrant, though overwintering in south-west; north to River Clyde in some years

• Brimstone – Gonepteryx rhamni rhamni

— throughout England (except north) and Wales (except south-west, central wet and far north-west)

Subfamily Pierinae

• Large White – Pieris brassicae

— throughout, but thinly spread in north-west half of Scotland

• Small White – Pieris [Artogeia] rapae

— throughout, except far north

• Green-veined White – Pieris [Artogeia] napi

• P. napi sabellicae — throughout (except for area occupied by subspecies thomsoni)
• P. napi thomsoni — east-central Scotland

• Orange Tip – Anthocharis cardamines britannica

— throughout, except far north and north-west

Lycaenidae – Hairstreaks, Coppers & Blues

Subfamily Theclinae

• Green Hairstreak – Callophrys rubi

— throughout much of country

• Brown Hairstreak – Thecla betulae ‡

— south of River Humber, with concentrations in south-west Wales, north Devon and south-west Somerset, and west Weald

• Purple Hairstreak – Neozephyrus [Quercusia] quercus

— throughout most of England and Wales, more thinly distributed north to River Clyde

• White-letter Hairstreak – Satyrium [Strymonidia] w-album ‡

— throughout much of England (except far south-west and north-west) and eastern Wales

• Black Hairstreak – Satyrium [Strymonidia] pruni

— confined to heavy clay soils along Chiltern hills

Subfamily Lycaena

• Small Copper – Lycaena phlaeas eleus

— throughout, except far north and north-west

Subfamily Polyommatinae

• Small Blue – Cupido minimus ‡

— southern and south-central England, south Wales coast, and east coast of Scotland (patchy distribution)

• Silver-studded Blue – Plebeius [Plebejus] argus ‡

• P. argus argus — south-west and south England, East Anglia coast, and north Wales and north-east Wales borders
• P. argus cretaceus — formerly on chalk and limestone downland of south and south-east coasts, now restricted to Portland Bill
• P. argus caernensis — Great Ormes Head (north Wales)
• P. argus masseyi — extinct (formerly north-west England)

• Brown Argus – Plebeius [Aricia] agestis

— throughout southern England, north to River Tees, south and north coasts of Wales

• Northern Brown Argus – Plebeius [Aricia] artaxerxes ‡

• P. artaxerxes salmacis (Castle Eden Argus) — England from north Lancashire north
• P. artaxerxes artaxerxes — Scotland

• Common Blue – Polyommatus icarus icarus

— throughout

• Chalkhill Blue – Polyommatus [Lysandra] coridon

— southern England

• Adonis Blue – Polyommatus [Lysandra] bellargus

— south England

• Holly Blue – Celastrina argiolus britanna

— north to Solway Firth and River Tyne

• Large Blue – Glaucopsyche [Maculinea] arion ‡

• G. arion eutyphron (endemic subspecies) — extinct
• G. arion arion — introduced to various sites in west England

Riodinidae – Metalmarks

• Duke of Burgundy – Hamearis lucina ‡

— central-south England; "pockets" in north-east, north-west and south-east England

Nymphalidae – Fritillaries, Nymphalids & Browns

Subfamily Heliconiinae

• Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary – Boloria [Clossiana] selene ‡

• B. selene selene — widespread in Wales, Scotland, southern and northern England
• B. selene insularum — western Scotland and Inner Hebrides

• Pearl-bordered Fritillary – Boloria [Clossiana] euphrosyne ‡

— patchily distributed through southern England, Wales, north-west and north-east England, and Scotland

• High Brown Fritillary – Argynnis [Fabriciana] adippe ‡

— patchy distribution in west England and Wales

• Dark Green Fritillary – Argynnis [Mesoacidalia] aglaja

• A. aglaja aglaja — patchy distribution throughout, except Scotland
• A. aglaja scotica — Scotland

• Silver-washed Fritillary – Argynnis paphia

— south-western half of England and Wales

Subfamily Limenitidinae

• White Admiral – Limenitis camilla ‡

— southern England and eastern Wales

Subfamily Apaturinae

• Purple Emperor – Apatura iris

— southern England

Subfamily Nymphalinae

• Red Admiral – Vanessa atalanta

— common immigrant throughout

• Painted Lady – Vanessa (Cynthia) cardui

— immigrant throughout

• Small Tortoiseshell – Aglais urticae

— throughout

• Peacock – Inachis io

— throughout, except Scottish Highlands and Western Isles

• Comma – Polygonia c-album

— throughout England and Wales, and spreading in southern Scotland

• Marsh Fritillary – Euphydryas [Eurodryas] aurinia ‡

— patchy distribution, mostly in west

• Glanville Fritillary – Melitaea cinxia ‡

— southern coast of Isle of Wight and Channel Islands (formerly widespread in south-east)

• Heath Fritillary – Melitaea [Mellicta] athalia ‡

— West Country and Kent; re-introduced to Essex

Subfamily Satyrinae

• Speckled Wood – Pararge aegeria

• P. aegeria tircis — throughout southern third of Great Britain, Scottish Highlands
• P. aegeria oblita — western Scotland and Inner Hebrides
• P. aegeria insula — Scilly Isles

• Wall – Lasiommata megera ‡*

— throughout England and Wales, southern Scotland (localized)

• Small Mountain Ringlet – Erebia epiphron ‡

• E. epiphron mnemon — Cumbria
• E. epiphron scotica — central Scotland

• Scotch Argus – Erebia aethiops

• E. aethiops aethiops — Cumbria
• E. aethiops caledonia — Scotland

• Marbled White – Melanargia galathea serena

— throughout south-east half of the country, including West Country, but not most of East Anglia

• Grayling – Hipparchia semele ‡

• H. semele semele — much of English coast, inland in parts of south and East Anglia
• H. semele scota — eastern Scotland (near coast)
• H. semele thyone — Wales
• H. semele atlantica — Hebrides

• Gatekeeper – Pyronia tithonus britanniae

— throughout southern half of country, except central Wales

• Meadow Brown – Maniola jurtina

• M. jurtina insularis — throughout (except for areas occupied by other subspecies)
• M. jurtina cassiteridum — Scilly Isles
• M. jurtina splendida — western Scotland, including Hebrides

• Ringlet – Aphantopus hyperantus

— throughout, except north-west England and north-west half of Scotland

• Small Heath – Coenonympha pamphilus ‡*

• C. pamphilus pamphilus — throughout, except far north and Hebrides
• C. pamphilus rhoumensis — Hebrides

• Large Heath – Coenonympha tullia ‡

• C. tullia davus — patchy distribution throughout northern and central England
• C. tullia polydama — central-west and north Wales, northern England and southern Scotland
• C. tullia scotica — rest of Scotland

Vagrant, Extinct and Exotic Species

Extinct

• Black-veined White – Aporia crataegi
• Mazarine Blue – Polyommatus [Cyaniris] semiargus (now vagrant only)
• Large Copper – Lycaena dispar (British subspecies extinct; continental subspecies introduced now also extinct)
• Large Tortoiseshell – Nymphalis polychloros (now vagrant only, although sightings in southern England in 2007 suggest recolonisation may be occurring)

Vagrants

• Pale Clouded Yellow – Colias hyale
• Berger's Clouded Yellow – Colias alfacariensis
• Bath White – Pontia daplidice
• Dappled White – Euchloe simplonia
• Long-tailed Blue – Lampides boeticus
• Lang's Short-tailed Blue – Leptotes pirithous
• Short-tailed Blue – Cupido [Everes] argiades
• Geranium Bronze – Cacyreus marshalli (imported on geraniums)
• Camberwell Beauty – Nymphalis antiopa
• Map – Araschnia levana (formerly introduced and bred)
• Queen of Spain Fritillary – Issoria lathonia
• Monarch – Danaus plexippus
• Apollo – Parnassius apollo
• American Painted Lady – Vanessa virginiensis

Exotics

Species included in the British Lepidoptera numbering system, but believed never to have occurred naturally in a wild state

• Fiery Skipper – Hylephila phyleus
• Mallow Skipper – Carcharodus alceae
• Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper – Pyrgus armoricanus
• Small Apollo – Parnassius phoebus
• Spanish Festoon – Zerynthia rumina
• Southern Festoon – Zerynthia polyxena
• Tiger Swallowtail – Papilio glaucus
• Scarce Swallowtail – Iphiclides podalirius
• Moorland Clouded Yellow – Colias palaeno
• Cleopatra – Gonepteryx cleopatra
• Slate Flash – Rapala schistacea
• Scarce Copper – Lycaena virgaureae
• Sooty Copper – Lycaena tityrus
• Purple-shot Copper – Lycaena alciphron
• Purple-edged Copper – Lycaena hippothoe
• Turquoise Blue – Plebicula dorylas
• Green-underside Blue – Glaucopsyche alexis
• Julia – Dryas julia
• Albin's Hampstead Eye – Junonia villida
• Blue Pansy – Junonia oenone
• Zebra – Colobura dirce
• Small Blown Shoemaker – Hypanartia lethe
• Indian Red Admiral – Vanessa indica
• Scarce Tortoiseshell – Nymphalis xanthomelas
• Weaver's Fritillary – Boloria dia
• Aphrodite Fritillary – Argynnis aphrodite
• Niobe Fritillary – Argynnis niobe
• Cardinal or Mediterranean Fritillary – Argynnis pandora
• Spotted Fritillary – Melitaea didyma
• Large Wall – Lasiommata maera
• Arran Brown – Erebia ligea
• Almond-eyed Ringlet – Erebia alberganus
• Woodland Grayling – Hipparchia fagi
• Hermit – Chazara briseis
• False Grayling – Arethusana arethusa

References

See also

• Butterfly Conservation – Britain's butterfly and moth conservation society
• List of butterflies of Ireland
• List of moths of Great Britain

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