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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. and Britain's Butterflies by Tomlinson and Still.

A study by NERC in 2004 found there has been a species decline of 71% of butterfly species between 1983 and 2003. The 2007 UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) listed 22 butterfly species. The 2011 Red List of British butterflies lists 4 species as "regionally extinct" (RE), 2 as "critically endangered", 8 as "endangered (E), 9 as "vulnerable" (V), 11 as "near threatened" (NT) and 28 as "least concern" (LC) in a UK context. In the list below, the categories are as taken from the 2022 Red List (RE 4, E 8, V 16, NT 5, LC 29). Range expansions according to the 2010 Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland.

Butterfly Conservation lists 29 of Great Britain's 58 breeding butterfly species as "High UK threat priority", with 9 of those with conservation priority status "Action urgent across UK range".

Hesperiidae – skippers

Subfamily Heteropterinae

Chequered skipper – Carterocephalus palaemon ^LC

– formerly thinly distributed in south and east, now confined to western Scotland; re-establishment project ongoing (2018–2020) Rockingham Forest, England

Subfamily Hesperiinae

Small skipper – Thymelicus sylvestris ^LC

– throughout Wales and England, except far north-east and north-west; spreading north and west

Essex skipper – Thymelicus lineola ^LC

– throughout south-east England, with scattered populations in West Country and as far north as the Humber estuary; spreading north and west

Lulworth skipper – Thymelicus acteon ^NT

– confined to the south coast between Weymouth and Swanage

Silver-spotted skipper – Hesperia comma ^V

– restricted to southern England: east Kent, east Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, north Dorset, south Wiltshire and the southern Chilterns; expanding distribution

Large skipper – Ochlodes sylvanus ^LC

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

Subfamily Pyrginae

Dingy skipper – Erynnis tages tages ^LC

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

Grizzled skipper – Pyrgus malvae ^V

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

Papilionidae – swallowtails

Subfamily Papilioninae

Swallowtail – Papilio machaon ^V

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

Pieridae – whites and yellows

Subfamily Dismorphiinae

Wood white – Leptidea sinapis sinapis ^E

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

Subfamily Coliadinae

Dark clouded yellow – Colias croceus ^LC

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

Common brimstone – Gonepteryx rhamni rhamni ^LC

– throughout England (except north) and Wales (except south-west, central west and far north-west); expanding range north and "infilling"

Subfamily Pierinae

Large white – Pieris brassicae ^LC

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

Small white – Pieris (Artogeia) rapae ^LC

– throughout, except far north

Green-veined white – Pieris (Artogeia) napi ^LC

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

Orange tip – Anthocharis cardamines britannica ^LC

– throughout, except far north and north-west; expanding range in Scotland and "infilling" in England and Wales

Lycaenidae – hairstreaks, coppers and blues

Subfamily Theclinae

Green hairstreak – Callophrys rubi ^LC

– throughout much of country

Brown hairstreak – Thecla betulae ^V

– south of the Humber estuary, with concentrations in south-west Wales, north Devon and south-west Somerset, and west Weald. In 2009 eggs were found at Feckenham Wylde Moor reserve in Worcestershire.

Purple hairstreak – Neozephyrus (Quercusia) quercus ^LC

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

White-letter hairstreak – Satyrium (Strymonidia) w-album ^V

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

Black hairstreak – Satyrium (Strymonidia) pruni ^E

– confined to heavy clay soils along Chiltern hills

Subfamily Lycaena

Small copper – Lycaena phlaeas eleus ^LC

– throughout, except far north and north-west

Subfamily Polyommatinae

Small blue – Cupido minimus ^NT

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

Silver-studded blue – Plebejus argus ^V

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 – Aricia agestis ^LC

– throughout southern England, north to River Tees, south and north coasts of Wales; expanding range north

– evidence of hybridization with A. artaxerxes salmacis across northern England and Wales

Northern brown argus – Aricia artaxerxes ^V

A. artaxerxes salmacis (Castle Eden argus) – England from north Lancashire north

– evidence of hybridization with A. agestis across northern England and Wales

A. artaxerxes artaxerxes – Scotland

Common blue – Polyommatus icarus icarus ^LC

– throughout

Chalkhill blue – Lysandra coridon ^V

– southern England

Adonis blue – Lysandra bellargus ^V

– south England; expanding range north and west

Holly blue – Celastrina argiolus britanna ^LC

– north to Solway Firth and River Tyne; expanding range north

Large blue – Phengaris arion ^NT

P. arion eutyphron (endemic subspecies) – extinct
P. arion arion – introduced to various sites in west England

Riodinidae – metalmarks

Duke of Burgundy – Hamearis lucina ^V

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

Nymphalidae – fritillaries, nymphalids and browns

Subfamily Heliconiinae

Small pearl-bordered fritillary – Boloria (Clossiana) selene ^V

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 ^V

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

High brown fritillary – Fabriciana adippe ^E

– patchy distribution in west England and Wales

Dark green fritillary – Speyeria aglaja ^NT

S. aglaja aglaja – patchy distribution throughout, except Scotland
S. aglaja scotica – Scotland

Silver-washed fritillary – Argynnis paphia ^LC

– south-western half of England and Wales; (re)expanding range east, including East Anglia

Subfamily Limenitidinae

White admiral – Limenitis camilla ^V

– southern England and eastern Wales

Subfamily Apaturinae

Purple emperor – Apatura iris ^LC

– southern England

Subfamily Nymphalinae

Red admiral – Vanessa atalanta ^LC

– resident and common immigrant throughout

Painted lady – Vanessa cardui^LC

– immigrant throughout

Small tortoiseshell – Aglais urticae ^LC

– throughout

Peacock – Aglais io^LC

– throughout, except Scottish Highlands and Western Isles; expanding range throughout Scotland, including Western Isles

Comma – Polygonia c-album ^LC

– throughout England and Wales; expanding range northwards and spreading in southern Scotland

Marsh fritillary – Euphydryas (Eurodryas) aurinia ^V

– patchy distribution, mostly in west

Glanville fritillary – Melitaea cinxia ^E

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

Heath fritillary – Melitaea athalia ^E

– West Country and Kent; re-introduced to Essex

Subfamily Satyrinae

Speckled wood – Pararge aegeria ^LC

P. aegeria tircis – throughout southern third of Great Britain, Scottish Highlands; expanding range north and east in England and Scotland; has colonized Isle of Man
P. aegeria oblita – western Scotland and Inner Hebrides
P. aegeria insula – Isles of Scilly

Wall – Lasiommata megera ^E

– throughout England and Wales, southern Scotland (localized); expanding north and "infilling", but declined rapidly inland in East Anglia

Small mountain ringlet – Erebia epiphron ^NT

E. epiphron mnemon – Cumbria
E. epiphron scotica – central Scotland

Scotch argus – Erebia aethiops ^V

E. aethiops aethiops – Cumbria
E. aethiops caledonia – Scotland

Marbled white – Melanargia galathea serena ^LC

– throughout south-east half of the country, including West Country, but not most of East Anglia; expanding range northwards

Grayling – Hipparchia semele ^E

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 ^LC

– throughout southern half of country, except central Wales; expanding range northwards

Meadow brown – Maniola jurtina ^LC

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

Ringlet – Aphantopus hyperantus ^LC

– throughout, except north-west England and north-west half of Scotland; expanding range in English Midlands, western England, English–Scottish borders, and Scotland; "infilling" southern Scotland

Small heath – Coenonympha pamphilus ^V

C. pamphilus pamphilus – throughout, except far north and Hebrides
C. pamphilus rhoumensis – Hebrides

Large heath – Coenonympha tullia ^E

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

Arran brown – Erebia ligea
Black-veined white – Aporia crataegi ^RE
Mazarine blue – Cyaniris semiargus (now vagrant only)^RE
Large copper – Lycaena dispar (Great Britain subspecies extinct; continental subspecies introduced now also extinct)^RE
Large tortoiseshell – Nymphalis polychloros (now vagrant only, although sightings in southern England since 2007 suggest recolonisation may be occurring)^RE
Almond-eyed ringlet – Erebia alberganus

Vagrants

Pale clouded yellow – Colias hyale
Berger's clouded yellow – Colias alfacariensis
Bath white – Pontia daplidice
Western dappled white – Euchloe crameri
Long-tailed blue – Lampides boeticus
Lang's short-tailed blue – Leptotes pirithous
Scarce swallowtail – Iphiclides podalirius
Short-tailed blue – Cupido (Everes) argiades
Geranium bronze – Cacyreus marshalli (imported on geraniums)
Scarce or yellow-legged tortoiseshell – Nymphalis xanthomelas
Camberwell beauty – Nymphalis antiopa
Map – Araschnia levana (formerly introduced and bred)
Queen of Spain fritillary – Issoria lathonia
Monarch – Danaus plexippus
Plain tiger – Danaus chrysippus (single record from Cambridgeshire, April 2011, coincident with influx of vagrant Odonata)
Apollo – Parnassius apollo
American painted lady – Vanessa virginiensis