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. Species listed in the 2007 UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) are indicated by a double-dagger symbol (‡)—two species so listed for research purposes only are also indicated with an asterisk (‡*). Range expansions according to the 2010 Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland.
Subfamily Heteropterinae
Chequered skipper – Carterocephalus palaemon ‡Subfamily Hesperiinae
Small skipper – Thymelicus sylvestrisEssex skipper – Thymelicus lineolaLulworth skipper – Thymelicus acteon ‡Silver-spotted skipper – Hesperia commaLarge skipper – Ochlodes sylvanus [venata; venatus]Subfamily Pyrginae
Dingy skipper – Erynnis tages tages ‡Grizzled skipper – Pyrgus malvae ‡Subfamily Papilioninae
Swallowtail – Papilio machaonP. 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 WalesPieridae – whites and yellows
Subfamily Dismorphiinae
Wood white – Leptidea sinapis sinapis ‡Subfamily Coliadinae
Dark clouded yellow – Colias croceusCommon brimstone – Gonepteryx rhamni rhamniSubfamily Pierinae
Large white – Pieris brassicaeSmall white – Pieris [Artogeia] rapaeGreen-veined white – Pieris [Artogeia] napiP. napi sabellicae – throughout (except for area occupied by subspecies thomsoni)P. napi thomsoni – east-central ScotlandOrange tip – Anthocharis cardamines britannicaLycaenidae – hairstreaks, coppers and blues
Subfamily Theclinae
Green hairstreak – Callophrys rubiBrown hairstreak – Thecla betulae ‡Purple hairstreak – Neozephyrus [Quercusia] quercusWhite-letter hairstreak – Satyrium [Strymonidia] w-album ‡Black hairstreak – Satyrium [Strymonidia] pruniSubfamily Lycaena
Small copper – Lycaena phlaeas eleusSubfamily Polyommatinae
Small blue – Cupido minimus ‡Silver-studded blue – Plebeius [Plebejus] argus ‡P. argus argus – south-west and south England, East Anglia coast, and north Wales and north-east Wales bordersP. argus cretaceus – formerly on chalk and limestone downland of south and south-east coasts, now restricted to Portland BillP. argus caernensis – Great Ormes Head (north Wales)P. argus masseyi – extinct (formerly north-west England)Brown argus – Plebeius [Aricia] agestisNorthern brown argus – Plebeius [Aricia] artaxerxes ‡P. artaxerxes salmacis (Castle Eden argus) – England from north Lancashire north– evidence of hybridization with
P. agestis across northern England and Wales
P. artaxerxes artaxerxes – ScotlandCommon blue – Polyommatus icarus icarusChalkhill blue – Polyommatus [Lysandra] coridonAdonis blue – Polyommatus [Lysandra] bellargusHolly blue – Celastrina argiolus britannaLarge blue – Glaucopsyche [Maculinea] arion ‡G. arion eutyphron (endemic subspecies) – extinctG. arion arion – introduced to various sites in west EnglandDuke of Burgundy – Hamearis lucina ‡Nymphalidae – fritillaries, nymphalids and browns
Subfamily Heliconiinae
Small pearl-bordered fritillary – Boloria [Clossiana] selene ‡B. selene selene – widespread in Wales, Scotland, southern and northern EnglandB. selene insularum – western Scotland and Inner HebridesPearl-bordered fritillary – Boloria [Clossiana] euphrosyne ‡High brown fritillary – Argynnis [Fabriciana] adippe ‡Dark green fritillary – Argynnis [Mesoacidalia] aglajaA. aglaja aglaja – patchy distribution throughout, except ScotlandA. aglaja scotica – ScotlandSilver-washed fritillary – Argynnis paphiaSubfamily Limenitidinae
White admiral – Limenitis camilla ‡Subfamily Apaturinae
Purple emperor – Apatura irisSubfamily Nymphalinae
Red admiral – Vanessa atalantaPainted lady – Vanessa (Cynthia) carduiSmall tortoiseshell – Aglais urticaePeacock – Aglais [Inachis] ioComma – Polygonia c-albumMarsh fritillary – Euphydryas [Eurodryas] aurinia ‡Glanville fritillary – Melitaea cinxia ‡Heath fritillary – Melitaea [Mellicta] athalia ‡Subfamily Satyrinae
Speckled wood – Pararge aegeriaP. aegeria tircis – throughout southern third of Great Britain, Scottish Highlands; expanding range north and east in England and Scotland; has colonized Isle of ManP. aegeria oblita – western Scotland and Inner HebridesP. aegeria insula – Isles of ScillyWall – Lasiommata megera ‡*Small mountain ringlet – Erebia epiphron ‡E. epiphron mnemon – CumbriaE. epiphron scotica – central ScotlandScotch argus – Erebia aethiopsE. aethiops aethiops – CumbriaE. aethiops caledonia – ScotlandMarbled white – Melanargia galathea serenaGrayling – Hipparchia semele ‡H. semele semele – much of English coast, inland in parts of south and East AngliaH. semele scota – eastern Scotland (near coast)H. semele thyone – WalesH. semele atlantica – HebridesGatekeeper – Pyronia tithonus britanniaeMeadow brown – Maniola jurtinaM. jurtina insularis – throughout (except for areas occupied by other subspecies)M. jurtina cassiteridum – Isles of ScillyM. jurtina splendida – western Scotland, including HebridesRinglet – Aphantopus hyperantusSmall heath – Coenonympha pamphilus ‡*C. pamphilus pamphilus – throughout, except far north and HebridesC. pamphilus rhoumensis – HebridesLarge heath – Coenonympha tullia ‡C. tullia davus – patchy distribution throughout northern and central EnglandC. tullia polydama – central-west and north Wales, northern England and southern ScotlandC. tullia scotica – rest of ScotlandVagrant, extinct and exotic species
Extinct
Arran brown – Erebia ligeaBlack-veined white – Aporia crataegiMazarine blue – Polyommatus [Cyaniris] semiargus (now vagrant only)Large copper – Lycaena dispar (Great Britain subspecies extinct; continental subspecies introduced now also extinct)Large tortoiseshell – Nymphalis polychloros (now vagrant only, although sightings in southern England since 2007 suggest recolonisation may be occurring)Almond-eyed ringlet – Erebia alberganusVagrants
Pale clouded yellow – Colias hyaleBerger's clouded yellow – Colias sareptensisBath white – Pontia daplidiceDappled white – Euchloe simploniaLong-tailed blue – Lampides boeticusLang's short-tailed blue – Leptotes pirithousScarce swallowtail – Iphiclides podaliriusShort-tailed blue – Cupido [Everes] argiadesGeranium bronze – Cacyreus marshalli (imported on geraniums)Scarce or yellow-legged tortoiseshell – Nymphalis xanthomelasCamberwell beauty – Nymphalis antiopaMap – Araschnia levana (formerly introduced and bred)Queen of Spain fritillary – Issoria lathoniaMonarch – Danaus plexippusPlain tiger – Danaus chrysippus (single record from Cambridgeshire, April 2011, coincident with influx of vagrant Odonata)Apollo – Parnassius apolloAmerican painted lady – Vanessa virginiensisExotics
Species included in the Great Britain Lepidoptera numbering system, but believed never to have occurred naturally in a wild state
Fiery skipper – Hylephila phyleusMallow skipper – Carcharodus alceaeOberthür's grizzled skipper – Pyrgus armoricanusShy saliana – Saliana longirostrisSmall Apollo – Parnassius phoebusSpanish festoon – Zerynthia ruminaSouthern festoon – Zerynthia polyxenaTiger swallowtail – Papilio glaucusMoorland clouded yellow – Colias palaenoCleopatra – Gonepteryx cleopatraSlate flash – Rapala schistaceaScarce copper – Lycaena virgaureaeSooty copper – Lycaena tityrusPurple-shot copper – Lycaena alciphronPurple-edged copper – Lycaena hippothoeTurquoise blue – Polyommatus dorylasGreen-underside blue – Glaucopsyche alexisJulia – Dryas juliaAlbin's Hampstead eye (meadow argus) – Junonia villidaBlue pansy – Junonia oenoneZebra – Colobura dirceSmall brown shoemaker (orange mapwing) – Hypanartia letheIndian red admiral – Vanessa indicaWeaver's fritillary – Boloria diaAphrodite fritillary – Argynnis aphroditeNiobe fritillary – Argynnis niobeCardinal or Mediterranean fritillary – Argynnis pandoraGreat spangled fritillary – Argynnis cybeleSpotted fritillary – Melitaea didymaLarge wall – Lasiommata maeraWoodland grayling – Hipparchia fagiHermit – Chazara briseisFalse grayling – Arethusana arethusaCassia's owl-butterfly – Opsiphanes cassiaeIllioneus giant owl – Caligo illioneus
