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

Currants
(Red Currant,
Black Currant and Gooseberry)

Comma

Egg,

Caterpillar

Chrysalis

Groups of eggs on upper side of leaf.
Eats leaves.

---

Devilsbit Scabious

Marsh Fritillary

Egg,



Caterpillar





Chrysalis

Eggs laid in batches on the under side of the leaves.
Feeds on leaves until late August. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats leaves until May.
---

Hatches after 20 days in July.


July-May





15 days in May.

Dog Violet

Silver-washed Fritillary

Egg,

Caterpillar





Chrysalis

1 egg on oak or pine tree trunk
Hibernates in a crevice in the bark of the tree trunk.
Moves out of tree to eat Dog Violet leaves.
On rock or twig.

15 days in July.

August-March.


March-May.


Late June-July

Dog Violet

Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Egg,

Caterpillar





Chrysalis

1 egg on leaf or stem.
Feeds on leaves until July. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats young leaves until May.
---

Hatches after 15 days in May-June.
July-May





9 days in June.

Dog Violet

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Egg,

Caterpillar





Chrysalis

1 egg on leaf or stem.
Feeds on leaves until July. Hibernates in dead leaves until March. Eats young leaves until April.
---

Hatches after 10 days in May-June.
June-April





April-June.

Dogwood

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.

Elm and Wych Elm

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.
 

False Brome grass

Large Skipper

Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis

1 egg under leaf.
Eats leaves.
---

11 Months
3 weeks from May

Foxglove

Marsh Fritillary

Egg,



Caterpillar





Chrysalis

Eggs laid in batches on the under side of the leaves.
Feeds on leaves until late August. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats leaves until May.
---

Hatches after 20 days in July.


July-May





15 days in May.

Fyfield Pea

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.

Garden Pansy

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Egg,

Caterpillar





Chrysalis

1 egg on leaf or stem.
Feeds on leaves until July. Hibernates in dead leaves until March. Eats young leaves until April.
---

Hatches after 10 days in May-June.
June-April





April-June.

Gorse

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.

Heartsease

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
 

Hogs's Fennel

Swallowtail

Egg,




Caterpillar




Chrysalis

1 egg on leaf. 5 or 6 eggs may be deposited by separate females on one leaf.
Eats leaves, and moves to stems of sedges or other fen plants before pupating.
---

14 days in July-August



August-September




September-May

Holly

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.

Honesty (Lunaria biennis)

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

Honeysuckle

Marsh Fritillary

Egg,



Caterpillar





Chrysalis

Eggs laid in batches on the under side of the leaves.
Feeds on leaves until late August. Hibernates on dead leaves until March. Eats leaves until May.
---

Hatches after 20 days in July.


July-May





15 days in May.

Hop

Comma

Egg,

Caterpillar

Chrysalis

Groups of eggs on upper side of leaf.
Eats leaves.

---

Horseshoe vetch

Adonis Blue



Chalk-Hill Blue



Berger's Clouded Yellow

Egg,
Caterpillar

Chrysalis
Egg,

Caterpillar
Chrysalis
Egg,


Caterpillar


Chrysalis
 

1 egg under leaf.
Eats leaves.

---
1 egg at base of plant.
Eats leaves.
---
1 egg on leaf.


Eats leaves.


---
 

1 then
June-March or September to July
3 weeks.
Late August-April.

April-June
1 Month
8-10 days in Late May-June or Middle August-September
June-July or September to October
8-15 days
 

Ivy

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.

Kidney Vetch

Chalk-Hill Blue

Egg,

Caterpillar

Chrysalis
Butterfly

1 egg at base of plant.
Eats leaves.

---
Eats nectar.

Late August-April

April-June

1 Month
20 days

Lucerne

Pale Clouded Yellow





Clouded Yellow

Egg,

Caterpillar

Chrysalis

Egg,

Caterpillar

Chrysalis
 

1 egg on leaf.

Eats leaves.



1 egg on leaf.

Eats leaves.

---

10 days in May-June.
Pupates in July-August.
17 days in August-September.
6 days in May-June.
Pupates in 30 days.

18 days in July-August.

Mallows

Painted Lady

Egg,
Caterpillar
Chrysalis

1 egg on leaf.
Eats leaves.
---

2 weeks
7-11days
7-11 days

Melilot

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.

Mignonettes

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

Milk Parsley

Swallowtail

Egg,




Caterpillar




Chrysalis

1 egg on leaf. 5 or 6 eggs may be deposited by separate females on one leaf.
Eats leaves, and moves to stems of sedges or other fen plants before pupating.
---

14 days in July-August



August-September




September-May