UK Butterflies

Building a Community of Responsible Butterfly Enthusiasts in Britain & Ireland

Larval Foodplants

This page lists the larval foodplants used by British and Irish butterflies. The name of each foodplant links to a Google search and secondary food sources are greyed out. The information on this page is taken from Life Cycles of British and Irish Butterflies (Eeles, 2019). Plant names are taken from New Flora of the British Isles, 4th edition (Stace, 2019).

Display Options


Butterfly NamePlant NamePlant Scientific NameQualification
Adonis Blue
Horseshoe VetchHippocrepis comosa
American Painted Lady
thistlesCarduus spp. and Cirsium spp.
Bath White
Cabbage familyBrassicaceae
Berger's Clouded Yellow
Horseshoe VetchHippocrepis comosa
Black Hairstreak
BlackthornPrunus spinosa
cherriesPrunus spp.
Black-veined White
BlackthornPrunus spinosa
hawthornsCrataegus spp.
Brimstone
Alder BuckthornFrangula alnusAcid soils
BuckthornRhamnus catharticaCalcareous soils
Brown Argus
Common Rock-roseHelianthemum nummulariumChalk and limestone grassland
Common Stork's-billErodium cicutariumOther habitats
Dove's-foot Crane's-billGeranium molleOther habitats
Brown Hairstreak
BlackthornPrunus spinosa
cherriesPrunus spp.
Camberwell Beauty
birchesBetula spp.
elmsUlmus spp.
poplarsPopulus spp.
sallowsSalix spp.
willowsSalix spp.
Chalk Hill Blue
Horseshoe VetchHippocrepis comosa
Chequered Skipper
Purple Moor-grassMolinia caerulea
Clouded Yellow
cloversTrifolium spp.
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatus
Horseshoe VetchHippocrepis comosa
Comma
Common NettleUrtica dioica
currantsRibes spp.
elmsUlmus spp.
HopHumulus lupulus
willowsSalix spp.
Common Blue
Black MedickMedicago lupulina
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatus
Common RestharrowOnonis repens
Greater Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus pedunculatus
Lesser TrefoilTrifolium dubium
Cryptic Wood White
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatus
Greater Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus pedunculatus
Meadow VetchlingLathyrus pratensis
Tufted VetchVicia cracca
Dark Green Fritillary
Common Dog-violetViola riviniana
Hairy VioletViola hirta
Marsh VioletViola palustris
Dingy Skipper
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatus
Greater Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus pedunculatus
Horseshoe VetchHippocrepis comosa
Duke of Burgundy
CowslipPrimula veris
False OxlipPrimula veris x vulgaris
PrimrosePrimula vulgaris
Essex Skipper
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
Common CouchElytrigia repens
Creeping Soft-grassHolcus mollis
False BromeBrachypodium sylvaticum
Meadow FoxtailAlopecurus pratensis
TimothyPhleum pratense
Tor-grassBrachypodium rupestre
Gatekeeper
bentsAgrostis spp.
fescuesFestuca spp.
meadow-grassesPoa spp.
Glanville Fritillary
Buck's-horn PlantainPlantago coronopus
Ribwort PlantainPlantago lanceolata
Grayling
Bristle BentAgrostis curtisiiHeathland
Early Hair-grassAira praecoxCalcareous soils
MarramAmmophila arenariaCoastal sites
Red FescueFestuca rubraCalcareous soils
Sheep's-fescueFestuca ovinaCalcareous soils
Tufted Hair-grassDeschampsia cespitosa
Green Hairstreak
Alder BuckthornFrangula alnusWoodland
BilberryVaccinium myrtillusBoggy habitat
bramblesRubus spp.Woodland
BroomCytisus scopariusHeathland
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatusCalcareous soils
Common Rock-roseHelianthemum nummulariumCalcareous soils
Cross-leaved HeathErica tetralixHeathland
DogwoodCornus sanguineaCalcareous soils
Dyer's GreenweedGenista tinctoriaHeathland
GorseUlex europeausHeathland
Green-veined White
CharlockSinapis arvensis
CuckooflowerCardamine pratensis
Garlic MustardAlliaria petiolata
Hedge MustardSisymbrium officinale
Large Bitter-cressCardamine amara
NasturtiumTropaeolum majus
Water-cressNasturtium officinale
Wild CabbageBrassica oleracea var. oleracea
Wild RadishRaphanus raphanistrum ssp. raphanistrum
Grizzled Skipper
AgrimonyAgrimonia eupatoria
Barren StrawberryPotentilla sterilis
bramblesRubus spp.
Creeping CinquefoilPotentilla reptans
Dog-roseRosa canina
RaspberryRubus idaeus
Salad BurnetPoterium sanguisorba ssp. sanguisorba
SilverweedPotentilla anserina
TormentilPotentilla erecta
Wild StrawberryFragaria vesca
Wood AvensGeum urbanum
Heath Fritillary
Common Cow-wheatMelampyrum pratense
FoxgloveDigitalis purpureaPost-hibernation larvae
Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrysPost-hibernation larvae
Ribwort PlantainPlantago lanceolataUnimproved grassland
High Brown Fritillary
Common Dog-violetViola riviniana
Hairy VioletViola hirtaLimestone sites
Heath Dog-violetViola canina
Pale Dog-violetViola lactea
Holly Blue
bramblesRubus spp.Summer brood
buckthornsFrangula alnus and Rhamnus catharticaSummer brood
DogwoodCornus sanguineaSpring brood
GorseUlex europeausSpring brood
HollyIlex spp.Spring brood
IvyHedera spp.Summer brood
snowberriesSymphoricarpos spp.Summer brood
SpindleEuonymus europaeusSpring brood
Large Blue
Wild MarjoramOriganum vulgare
Wild ThymeThymus polytrichus
Large Chequered Skipper
Purple Moor-grassMolinia caerulea
Large Copper
Water DockRumex hydrolapathum
Large Heath
Common CottongrassEriophorum angustifolium
Hare's-tail CottongrassEriophorum vaginatum
Jointed RushJuncus articulatus
Large Skipper
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
False BromeBrachypodium sylvaticum
Purple Moor-grassMolinia caerulea
Tor-grassBrachypodium rupestre
Wood Small-reedCalamagrostis epigejoss
Large Tortoiseshell
AspenPopulus tremula
elmsUlmus spp.
poplarsPopulus spp.
sallowsSalix spp.
willowsSalix spp.
Large White
Cabbage familyBrassicaceae
NasturtiumTropaeolum majus
Sea-kaleCrambe maritimaOn the coast
Wild MignonetteReseda lutea
Long-tailed Blue
Bladder-sennaColutea arborescens
Broad-leaved Everlasting-peaLathyrus latifolius
BroomCytisus scoparius
Lulworth Skipper
Tor-grassBrachypodium rupestre
Marbled White
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
Red FescueFestuca rubraYoung larvae
Sheep's-fescueFestuca ovinaYoung larvae
TimothyPhleum pratense
Tor-grassBrachypodium rupestre
Yorkshire-fogHolcus lanatus
Marsh Fritillary
Devil's-bit ScabiousSuccisa pratensis
Field ScabiousKnautia arvensis
Small ScabiousScabiosa columbaria
Mazarine Blue
Red CloverTrifolium pratense
Meadow Brown
bentsAgrostis spp.Young larvae
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
Downy Oat-grassAvenula pubescens
False BromeBrachypodium sylvaticum
fescuesFestuca spp.Young larvae
meadow-grassesPoa spp.Young larvae
Monarch
milkweedsAsclepias spp.
Mountain Ringlet
Mat-grassNardus stricta
Sheep's-fescueFestuca ovina
Northern Brown Argus
Common Rock-roseHelianthemum nummularium
Orange-tip
CharlockSinapis arvensis
CuckooflowerCardamine pratensis
Dame's-violetHesperis matronalis
Garlic MustardAlliaria petiolata
Hairy Rock-cressArabis hirsuta
Hedge MustardSisymbrium officinale
HonestyLunaria annua
Large Bitter-cressCardamine amara
TurnipBrassica rapa ssp. rapa
Winter-cressBarbarea vulgaris
Painted Lady
burdocksArctium spp.
Common NettleUrtica dioica
mallowsMalva spp.
thistlesCarduus spp. and Cirsium spp.
Viper's-buglossEchium vulgare
Pale Clouded Yellow
cloversTrifolium spp.
LucerneMedicago sativa ssp. sativa
Peacock
Common NettleUrtica dioica
HopHumulus lupulus
Small NettleUrtica urens
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Common Dog-violetViola riviniana
Heath Dog-violetViola canina
Marsh VioletViola palustrisNorthern sites
Purple Emperor
Crack-willowSalix × fragilis
Goat WillowSalix caprea
Grey WillowSalix cinerea
Purple Hairstreak
Evergreen OakQuercus ilex
Pedunculate OakQuercus robur
Sessile OakQuercus petraea
Turkey OakQuercus cerris
Queen of Spain Fritillary
Field PansyViola arvensis
Wild PansyViola tricolor
Red Admiral
Common NettleUrtica dioica
HopHumulus lupulus
Pellitory-of-the-wallParietaria judaica
Small NettleUrtica urens
Ringlet
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
Common CouchElytrigia repens
False BromeBrachypodium sylvaticum
meadow-grassesPoa spp.
Tufted Hair-grassDeschampsia cespitosa
Scarce Tortoiseshell
sallowsSalix spp.
Scotch Argus
Blue Moor-grassSesleria caerulea
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
Common BentAgrostis capillaris
Common CouchElytrigia repens
Glaucous SedgeCarex flacca
Purple Moor-grassMolinia caerulea
Sheep's-fescueFestuca ovina
Sweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratum
Tufted Hair-grassDeschampsia cespitosa
Wavy Hair-grassDeschampsia flexuosa
Short-tailed Blue
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatus
GorseUlex europeaus
Silver-spotted Skipper
Sheep's-fescueFestuca ovina
Silver-studded Blue
Black MedickMedicago lupulinaGreat Orme
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatusGreat Orme, Portland
Common Rock-roseHelianthemum nummulariumGreat Orme, Portland
GorseUlex europeausHeathland
heathersCalluna and Erica spp.Heathland
Hoary Rock-roseHelianthemum oelandicumGreat Orme
Horseshoe VetchHippocrepis comosaPortland
Silver-washed Fritillary
Common Dog-violetViola riviniana
Small Blue
Kidney VetchAnthyllis vulneraria
Small Copper
Broad-leaved DockRumex obtusifolius
Common SorrelRumex acetosa
Sheep's SorrelRumex acetosella
Small Heath
bentsAgrostis spp.
fescuesFestuca spp.
meadow-grassesPoa spp.
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Common Dog-violetViola riviniana
Marsh VioletViola palustris
Small Skipper
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
Creeping Soft-grassHolcus mollis
False BromeBrachypodium sylvaticum
Meadow FoxtailAlopecurus pratensis
TimothyPhleum pratense
Yorkshire-fogHolcus lanatus
Small Tortoiseshell
Common NettleUrtica dioica
Small NettleUrtica urens
Small White
Cabbage familyBrassicaceae
NasturtiumTropaeolum majus
Sea-kaleCrambe maritimaOn the coast
Wild MignonetteReseda lutea
Speckled Wood
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
Common CouchElytrigia repens
False BromeBrachypodium sylvaticum
Yorkshire-fogHolcus lanatus
Swallowtail
Milk-parsleyThyselium palustre
Wall
bentsAgrostis spp.
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
False BromeBrachypodium sylvaticum
Tor-grassBrachypodium rupestre
Wavy Hair-grassDeschampsia flexuosa
Yorkshire-fogHolcus lanatus
White Admiral
HoneysuckleLonicera periclymenum
snowberriesSymphoricarpos spp.
White-letter Hairstreak
English ElmUlmus procera
Small-leaved ElmUlmus minor ssp. minor
Wych ElmUlmus glabra
Wood White
Bitter-vetchLathyrus linifolius
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatus
Greater Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus pedunculatus
Meadow VetchlingLathyrus pratensis
Tufted VetchVicia cracca