Native Butterflies of Britain

A concise, taxonomic overview of all resident and regular migrant species of Butterfly in Britain

Britain supports 59 recognised native butterfly species: long-established residents plus regular migrants that breed or arrive naturally.

Below is a complete, taxonomically arranged list, grouped by family and subfamily. (Accidental vagrants are excluded.)

Order: Lepidoptera

Superfamily: Papilionoidea

Family: Papilionidae (Swallowtails)

• Swallowtail – Britain’s largest butterfly; restricted to the Norfolk Broads subspecies.

Family: Pieridae (Whites & Yellows)

Subfamily: Pierinae

• Large White

• Small White

• Green-veined White

• Orange-tip

Subfamily: Coliadinae

• Brimstone

• Clouded Yellow (migrant)

Family: Lycaenidae (Blues, Coppers & Hairstreaks)

Subfamily: Theclinae (Hairstreaks)

• Green Hairstreak

• Purple Hairstreak

• White-letter Hairstreak

• Black Hairstreak

• Brown Hairstreak

Subfamily: Lycaeninae (Coppers)

• Small Copper

Subfamily: Polyommatinae (Blues)

• Common Blue

• Holly Blue

• Chalkhill Blue

• Adonis Blue

• Silver-studded Blue

• Brown Argus

• Northern Brown Argus

• Large Blue (reintroduced)

• Small Blue

Family: Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)

Subfamily: Nymphalinae

• Peacock

• Small Tortoiseshell

• Large Tortoiseshell (rare recolonist)

• Comma

• Red Admiral (migrant)

• Painted Lady (migrant)

• White Admiral

Subfamily: Apaturinae

• Purple Emperor

Subfamily: Heliconiinae

• Silver-washed Fritillary

Subfamily: Argynninae (Fritillaries)

• Dark Green Fritillary

• High Brown Fritillary

• Pearl-bordered Fritillary

• Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

• Heath Fritillary

• Marsh Fritillary

• Glanville Fritillary

Subfamily: Satyrinae (Browns & Ringlets)

• Meadow Brown

• Gatekeeper

• Ringlet

• Small Heath

• Large Heath

• Grayling

• Wall

• Speckled Wood

• Scotch Argus

• Mountain Ringlet

Family: Hesperiidae (Skippers)

Subfamily: Hesperiinae

• Large Skipper

• Small Skipper

• Essex Skipper

• Silver-spotted Skipper

• Chequered Skipper

Subfamily: Pyrginae

• Dingy Skipper

• Grizzled Skipper

Britain’s butterfly fauna spans six families, from the majestic Swallowtail of the Norfolk fens to migratory Painted Ladies arriving from Africa.

Ecologically they range from:

• Woodland specialists (Purple Emperor)

• Chalk grassland rarities (Adonis Blue)

• Upland endemics (Mountain Ringlet)

• Agricultural and garden generalists (Small White)

Together they form one of Britain’s most intensively monitored and conservation-significant insect groups — sensitive indicators of habitat quality, climate change and landscape management.

Conservation: 20–25% of British butterflies are vulnerable, endangered, or near threatened, mainly habitat specialists

Habitats: Chalk downs, heathlands, woodlands, peat bogs, and coastal dunes are critical

Flight Periods: Range from early March (Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell) to September (Meadow Brown, Small White)

Distribution: Southern England hosts the majority of rare or restricted species; uplands and Scotland provide refuges for cold-adapted species like the Mountain Ringlet and Large Heath

Below is a concise conservation-priority list of these butterflies, grouped by current UK conservation concern (highest priority first).

(Categories reflect UK Red List / conservation consensus: CR = Critically Endangered, EN = Endangered, VU = Vulnerable, NT = Near Threatened, LC = Least Concern, Migrant = not assessed as resident population.)

🔴 Critically Endangered (Highest Priority)

High Brown Fritillary

🟠 Endangered

Heath Fritillary

🟡 Vulnerable

Swallowtail

Large Heath

Marsh Fritillary

Small Blue

Silver-spotted Skipper

Dingy Skipper

Grizzled Skipper

Mountain Ringlet

🟢 Near Threatened

Adonis Blue

Chalkhill Blue

Silver-studded Blue

Northern Brown Argus

White-letter Hairstreak

Brown Hairstreak

Grayling

🟣 Reintroduced / Restricted but Stable

Large Blue

Glanville Fritillary

Chequered Skipper

Black Hairstreak

⚪ Least Concern (Widespread / Stable)

Large White

Small White

Green-veined White

Orange-tip

Brimstone

Small Copper

Common Blue

Holly Blue

Brown Argus

Green Hairstreak

Purple Hairstreak

Peacock

Small Tortoiseshell

Comma

Red Admiral

Painted Lady

White Admiral

Purple Emperor

Silver-washed Fritillary

Dark Green Fritillary

Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Meadow Brown

Gatekeeper

Ringlet

Small Heath

Wall

Speckled Wood

Scotch Argus

Large Skipper

Small Skipper

Essex Skipper

🟤 Migrant / Irregular Breeders (Not Resident Priority Assessed)

Clouded Yellow

Camberwell Beauty

Queen of Spain Fritillary

Long-tailed Blue

Geranium Bronze

🔵 Recently Re-established (Climate-Driven Expansion)

Large Tortoiseshell

Overall Conservation Picture

~25% of Britain’s butterflies are threatened or near threatened.

Specialists of chalk grassland, coppiced woodland, heath and upland bog are highest priority.

Generalists and migrants are currently more secure.

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