Please note that the Butterfly you see for only a short time has grown up on plants as an egg, caterpillar and chrysalis for up to 11 months, before becoming a butterfly. If the plants that they live on during that time are removed or trodden on, then you will not see the butterfly.

Plant Name

Butterfly Name

Egg/ Caterpillar/ Chrysalis/ Butterfly

Plant Usage

Plant Usage Months

Alder Buckthorn

Brimstone

Egg,

Caterpillar
Chrysalis

1 egg under leaf.

Eats leaves.
---

10 days in May-June
28 days.
12 days.

Aspen

Large Tortoiseshell

Egg,



Caterpillar



Chrysalis
 

Eggs laid in batches encircling the branch of the food plant.
Feeds on leaves.

Hangs suspended from stem.

Hatches after 18-22 days in April.


30 days in May



9 days in June.
 

Black Medic

Common Blue

Egg,

Caterpillar



Chrysalis

Groups of eggs on upper side of leaf.
Eats buds and flowers.


Base of food plant.

-
-
Spend winter at the base of the food plant. They resume feeding in March.
2 weeks

Birdsfoot Trefoil

Chalk-Hill Blue

Egg,

Caterpillar

Chrysalis

1 egg at base of plant.
Eats leaves.

---

Late August-April

April-June

1 Month

Birdsfoot Trefoil

Common Blue

Egg,

Caterpillar



Chrysalis

Groups of eggs on upper side of leaf.
Eats buds and flowers.


Base of food plant.

-
-
Spend winter at the base of the food plant. They resume feeding in March.
2 weeks

Birdsfoot Trefoil

Wood White

Egg,


Caterpillar

Chrysalis

1 egg laid on underside of leaflets or bracts.
Eats leaves.

---

7 days in June

32 days in June-July.
July-May.

Bitter Vetch

Wood White

Egg,


Caterpillar

Chrysalis

1 egg laid on underside of leaflets or bracts.
Eats leaves.

---

7 days in June

32 days in June-July.
July-May.

Borage

Queen of Spain Fritillary

Egg,


Caterpillar





Chrysalis
 

1 egg laid under the leaf or on top of the flower.
Eats leaves, then before pupating it eats the bloom and leaves of the pansies.

---
 

7 days in August.


23 days in August-September




3 weeks in September

Bramble

Holly Blue

Egg,


Caterpillar
Chrysalis


 

1 egg on underside of a flower bud on its stalk.
Eats flower bud.
---


 

7 days.


28-42 days.
18 days. Early September to Late April for second generation.

Buckthorn

Holly Blue

Egg,


Caterpillar
Chrysalis


 

1 egg on underside of a flower bud on its stalk.
Eats flower bud.
---


 

7 days.


28-42 days.
18 days. Early September to Late April for second generation.

Buckthorn

Brimstone

Egg,

Caterpillar
Chrysalis

1 egg under leaf.

Eats leaves.
---

10 days in May-June
28 days.
12 days.

Burdocks

Painted Lady

Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis

1 egg on leaf.
Eats leaves.
---

2 weeks
7-11days
7-11 days

Cabbages

Large White

Egg,

Caterpillar
Chrysalis

40-100 eggs on both surfaces of leaf.

Eats leaves.
---
 

May-June and August-Early September. 4.5-17 days.
30-32 days
14 days for May-June eggs, or overwinter till April

Cabbages

Small White

Egg,

Caterpillar
Chrysalis

1 egg on underside of leaf.


Eats leaves.
---
 

May-June and August. 7 days.


28 days
21 days for May-June eggs, or overwinter till March

Cabbages:-
Charlock,
Cuckoo Flower,
Hedge-Mustard,
Garlic-Mustard,
Yellow Rocket,
Watercress

Green-veined White

Egg,

Caterpillar



Chrysalis


 

1 egg on underside of leaf.
Eats leaves.

---


 

July or August; hatches in 3 days
16 days



14 days in July or for caterpillars of August, they overwinter till May.

Cabbages:-
Charlock,
Creeping Yellow-cress,
Cuckoo Flower,
Dame's Violet,
Hedge-Mustard,
Horseradish,
Garlic-Mustard,
Lady's Smock,
Large Bittercress,
Rock-cress,
Yellow Rocket,
Watercress,
Wild Turnip

Orange Tip

Egg,

Caterpillar



Chrysalis

1 egg laid in the tight buds and flowers.
Eats leaves, buds, flowers and especially the seed pods.
---

May-June 7 days.


June-July 24 days.



August-May

Cherry

Large Tortoiseshell

Egg,



Caterpillar



Chrysalis
 

Eggs laid in batches encircling the branch of the food plant.
Feeds on leaves.

Hangs suspended from stem.

Hatches after 18-22 days in April.


30 days in May



9 days in June.
 

Clovers

Common Blue

Egg,

Caterpillar



Chrysalis

Groups of eggs on upper side of leaf.
Eats buds and flowers.


Base of food plant.

-
-
Spend winter at the base of the food plant. They resume feeding in March.
2 weeks

Clover

Pale Clouded Yellow

Egg,

Caterpillar

Chrysalis

1 egg on leaf.

Eats leaves.


 

10 days in May-June.
Pupates in July-August.
17 days in August-September.

Clover

Clouded Yellow

Egg,

Caterpillar

Chrysalis
 

1 egg on leaf.

Eats leaves.


 

6 days in May-June.
Pupates in 30 days.

18 days in July-August.

Cocksfoot grass

Large Skipper

Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis

1 egg under leaf.
Eats leaves.
---

11 Months
3 weeks from May

Cow-wheat

Heath Fritillary

Egg,



Caterpillar





Chrysalis

Eggs laid in batches on the under side of the leaves.
Feeds on leaves until end of August. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats young leaves until June.
---

Hatches after 16 days in June.


June-April





25 days in June.