Butterfree (Pokémon)

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Butterfree バタフリー Butterfree #012
Artwork from FR/LG
Type Bug Flying Unknown Unknown Blue-Striped Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown	Category Butterfly Pokémon
Ability Compoundeyes Blue-Striped -----	Exp. at Lv. 100 1,000,000
Regional Pokédex numbers Kanto #012 Johto #026 Hoenn #214 Sinnoh — Unova Not in any regional Pokédex
Regional Browser numbers Fiore R— Almia R— Oblivia
Height 3'07" Imperial 1.1 m Metric 3'07"/1.1 m Red-Striped 0'0"/0.0 m Blue-Striped 0'0"/0.0 m
Weight 70.5 lbs. Imperial 32.0 kg Metric 70.5 lbs./32.0 kg Red-Striped 0.0 lbs./0.0 kg Blue-Striped 0.0 lbs./0.0 kg
Dex color White	Catch rate 45 (5.9%)
Body style Blue-Striped	Footprint      Blue-Striped
Gender ratio Gender unknown Unknown 50% male, 50% female
Breeding Bug group 21 cycles (5355 minimum steps)
EV yield HP 0 Atk 0 Def 0 Sp.Atk 2 Sp.Def 1 Speed 0 Base Exp.: 160 Battle Exp.: 1601*
External links On Smogon Pokédex: Generation I Generation II Generation III Generation IV Generation V Generation VI Generation VII Generation VIII Generation IX Artwork on Bulbagarden Archives

Butterfree (Japanese: バタフリー Butterfree) is a dual-type Bug/Flying Pokémon.

It evolves from Metapod starting at level 10. It is the final form of Caterpie.

Biology

Physiology

Butterfree resembles a vaguely anthropomorphic butterfly. Unlike true insects, it only has four legs, which are a pale blue color. It has a nose-like structure which is a similar color. Butterfree's body’s coloration is a darker purple-blue. It has large veined wings which are white with black markings. These markings can help distinguish male and female individuals. It has large compound eyes which tend to be a reddish color. Like members of the order Lepidoptera, Butterfree’s wings are covered in fine scales. Its legs are covered in fine hairs which aid in the collection of honey.

Gender differences

A female has black spots on the lower parts of her wings.

Special abilities

The waterproof scales on Butterfree’s wings are loosely attached, and if the Butterfree flaps them hard enough, they will be released into the air. This resulting “dust” is toxic, and can be irritating if inhaled.

Behavior

Butterfree spends most of its time foraging for nectar and pollen from flowers. In the wild they need to eat constantly. Special adaptations such as waterproofing on their wings, and tiny hairs on their legs let them gather food even in the rain. Butterfree will roam up to six miles from their nest in search of honey.

Habitat

File:Forest.gif

Forest Pokémon

Butterfree can be found in forests and wooded areas with high amounts of moisture and mist. They can also sometimes be found flying near the ocean, which may be part of Butterfrees' migratory breeding pattern.

Diet

Main article: Pokémon food

Butterfree collect and consume pollen and honey from flowers. Butterfree also consume sap from trees if they have been opened by Heracross.

In the anime

File:Ash'sButterfree.gif

Ash's Pikachu riding on Butterfree.

Major appearances

Ash's Butterfree

Ash Ketchum had a Butterfree that he had caught as a Caterpie, which was the first Pokémon he ever caught. It was also the first Pokémon he let go, allowing it to mate with a pink Butterfree in Bye-Bye Butterfree.

Ritchie's Butterfree

Ritchie has a Butterfree named Happy. It was first seen in A Friend in Deed.

Other

After Team Rocket kidnapped Dr. Gordon and flew away on Jessie's Dustox in Caterpie's Big Dilemma, Xander's giant-sized Metapod evolved into a Mothra-sized Butterfree in order to chase Team Rocket. Xander's Butterfree shrunk back to its normal size at the end of the episode.

File:Butterwings.jpg

A differently patterned Butterfree.

Jeremy used a Butterfree in the first half of the Silver Town Pokémon Contest in Weekend Warrior.

In Channeling the Battle Zone, Solidad used her Butterfree in the Kanto Grand Festival.

Drew has a Butterfree which made its debut in The Unbeatable Lightness of Seeing.

It was also seen as part of Lila's famous "Tiger Lily Smile" background in Battling the Generation Gap!.

Minor appearances

A differently patterned Butterfree appeared in Poké Ball Peril.

A regular Butterfree appeared in Pinch Healing!.

Butterfree appeared in Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! Part One.

Another Butterfree appeared in Camping It Up!.

Pokédex Entries

Episode Pokémon Source Entry EP004 Butterfree Ash's Pokédex Butterfree. One week after Caterpie evolves into Metapod, it again evolves into Butterfree.

In the manga

In Pokémon Special, Yellow has a Butterfree which evolved from a Caterpie she befriended and captured. Her uncle, Fisherman Wilton, also has a Butterfree. Both of them are able to use Butterfree as a mode of flight, using Butterfree to hold onto their backs as they fly.

Ash's Butterfree evolved from Metapod at the Cerulean Gym in the Electric Tale of Pikachu.

In the TCG

Main article: Butterfree (TCG)

Game data

NPC appearances

• Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Butterfree is the mother of Caterpie, who she sends the player to rescue in the first mission of the game.

Pokédex entries

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation I.
Generation I Red In battle, it flaps its wings at high speed, releasing highly toxic dust into the air. Blue Yellow Its wings, covered with poisonous powders, repel water. This allows it to fly in the rain. Stadium Its wings are covered with poisonous dust. If you see one flapping its wings, be careful not to inhale any of the dust.
Generation II Gold It collects honey every day. It rubs honey onto the hairs on its legs to carry it back to its nest. Silver Water-repellent powder on its wings enables it to collect honey, even in the heaviest of rains. Crystal It flits from flower to flower, collecting honey. It can even identify distant flowers in bloom. Stadium 2 It collects honey every day. It rubs honey onto the hairs on its legs to carry it back to its nest.
Generation III Ruby Butterfree has a superior ability to search for delicious honey from flowers. It can even search out, extract, and carry honey from flowers that are blooming over six miles from its nest. Sapphire Butterfree has a superior ability to search for delicious honey from flowers. It can even search out, extract, and carry honey from flowers that are blooming over six miles from its nest. Emerald It has a superior ability to search for delicious honey from flowers. It can seek, extract, and carry honey from flowers blooming over six miles away. FireRed The wings are protected by a rain-repellent dust. As a result, this Pokémon can fly about even in rain. LeafGreen In battle, it flaps its wings at great speed to release highly toxic dust into the air.
Generation IV Diamond It loves the honey of flowers and can locate flower patches that have even tiny amounts of pollen. Pearl It loves the honey of flowers and can locate flower patches that have even tiny amounts of pollen. Platinum It loves the honey of flowers and can locate flower patches that have even tiny amounts of pollen. HeartGold {{{heartgolddex}}} SoulSilver {{{soulsilverdex}}}
Generation V Black {{{blackdex}}} White {{{whitedex}}} Black 2 {{{black2dex}}} White 2 {{{white2dex}}}
Generation VI X Unknown Y Unknown

Alternate games

Pokémon Pinball, Pokémon Trading Card Game (Base Set)

In battle, it flaps its wings at high speed, releasing highly toxic dust into the air.

Pokémon Trading Card Game (Neo Discovery)

It collects honey every day. It rubs honey onto the hairs on its legs to carry it back to its nest.

Game locations

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation I.
Generation I Red Blue None Evolve Metapod Blue (Japan) None Trade Yellow None Evolve Metapod
Generation II Gold Silver Gold: Uncommon Silver: Rare Gold: National Park during the Bug-Catching Contest, Route 2, may drop from Headbutted trees Silver: National Park during the Bug-Catching Contest Crystal Uncommon National Park during the Bug-Catching Contest, Routes 2, 24, and 25, may drop from Headbutted trees
Generation III Ruby Sapphire None Trade Emerald None Trade FireRed LeafGreen None Evolve Metapod Colosseum None Trade XD One Cipher Key Lair (Shadow)
Generation IV Diamond Pearl None Evolve Metapod Platinum None Evolve Metapod HeartGold SoulSilver None Trade Pal Park Forest Pokéwalker None
Generation V Black White None Trade Black 2 White 2 None Trade Dream World None
Generation VI X Y None Trade

In side games

Game	Location
Pokémon Snap	Beach
Pokémon Channel	Viridian Forest
Pokémon Trozei!	Secret Storage 1 Mr. Who's Den
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red/Blue Rescue Team	Evolve from Metapod
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time/Darkness	Apple Woods (1F-7F) (Time) Evolve from Metapod
Pokémon Rumble	Quiet Forest

Held items

Game	Items
Gold, Silver, and Crystal	Silverpowder (8%)
Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald	Silverpowder (5%)
FireRed and LeafGreen	Silverpowder (5%)
Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum	Silverpowder (5%)

Base stats

Stat		Range
		At Lv. 50	At Lv. 100
HP: 60		120 - 167	230 - 324
Attack: 45		45 - 106	85 - 207
Defense: 50		49 - 112	94 - 218
Sp. Atk: 80		76 - 145	148 - 284
Sp. Def: 80		76 - 145	148 - 284
Speed: 70		67 - 134	130 - 262
Total: 385	Other Pokémon with this total
Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and (if applicable) a hindering nature. Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and (if applicable) a helpful nature. This Pokémon's Special base stat in Generation I was 80.

Learnset

By leveling up

|- style="text-align:center" | style="text-align:left" | bug | style="background:#81B9EF" |  flying 

| style=" background:#FFF" | 4 | style=" background:#FFF" | 1 | style=" background:#FFF" | Butterfree | style="display:none; background:#FFF" | {{{6}}} Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Movelist/note

By breeding

None.

By tutoring

|- style="background:#B8C26A" | colspan="13" | Bold indicates a move that gets STAB
Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only from an Evolution of this Pokémon
A colored initial indicates that the move is not available to be tutored in this game,
while a colored background indicates that the move is available. |} |}

Special moves

Shadow moves	<span style="color:#{{{2}}};">Level 30+	Purified moves
Shadow Mist	File:Box xd 012.png	Morning Sun	Normal
Shadow Rush		Psychic	Psychic
--		Sleep Powder	Grass
--		Aerial Ace	Flying

TCG-only moves

• Fly

Sprites

Gen	Game
I	Red	Blue	Yellow		Red (Ja)	Green	Back
II	Gold	Silver	Crystal				Back
III	Ruby	Sapphire	Emerald		FireRed	LeafGreen	Back
IV	Diamond	Pearl	Platinum		HeartGold	SoulSilver	Back
V	Black	White	Black 2	White 2			Back

For other sprites and images, please see Butterfree images on Bulbagarden Archives.

Trivia

• Butterfree is the first Pokémon shown in the anime to have an alternate color. However, this alternate color was pink, which is not the same as the alternate color of Butterfree in the games, in which only its wings, feet, hands, and mouth are pink.
• The Butterfree species has been trained by four anime trainers: Ash, Ritchie, Solidad, and Drew.
• Butterfree shares the same species name with Beautifly. They are both known as the Butterfly Pokémon.
• Even though the 'main' part of its body is purple, it is classed as being white in the Pokédex. This is probably because the wings of Butterfree are white.
• While Butterfree cannot learn Iron Defense itself, it can be taught it as a Metapod before evolving. It shares this trait with Beedrill, Dustox, Beautifly, Huntail, Gorebyss, and Salamence.
• Butterfree's Gold and Crystal sprites resemble its sprite from Red and Blue.

Origin

Its design appears to be based upon a common butterfly, most likely a Cabbage White butterfly (more specifically, Aporia crataegi).

Name origin

Butterfree's name is a combination of butterfly and free, possibly referring to its ability to fly after being grounded for two evolutionary stages.

In other languages

• German: Smettbo - From Schmetterling (butterfly) and possibly Bö (gust).
• French: Papilusion - From papillon (butterfly) and illusion.
• Korean: 버터플 Beoteopeul - Corruption of butterfly.
• Chinese (Taiwan): 巴大蝴 Ba Dá Hú - 巴大 sounds like butter in Butterfree, 蝴 is the first part of 蝴蝶 (butterfly).
• Chinese (Hong Kong): 巴他蝶 Ba Ta Díe - 巴他 sounds like butter in Butterfree, 蝶 is the second part of 蝴蝶 (butterfly).

Related articles

• Ash's Butterfree
• Pink Butterfree

External links

• Flying off into the sunset, the fanlisting for Butterfree

Notes

← #011: Metapod

Pokémon

#013: Weedle →

This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.