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 Gender unknown
Breeding Bug group 1 cycles (255 minimum steps)
EV yield HP 0 Atk 0 Def 0 Sp.Atk 0 Sp.Def 0 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 Bug/Flying-type Pokémon.

Biology

Physiology

Gender differences

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

Habitat

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 their migratory breeding pattern.

Diet

Main article: Pokémon food

Butterfree collect and consume pollen and honey from flowers.

In the games

• Pokémon Snap: A few Butterfree can be seen flying around at the Beach.

In the anime

Ash Ketchum had a Butterfree that he had caught as a Caterpie, which was the first Pokémon he ever caught.

After Team Rocket kidnapped Dr. Gordon and flew away on Jessie's Dustox (who was currently Mothra-sized) in EP142, Zander's giant-sized Metapod evolved into a Mothra-sized Butterfree in order to chase Team Rocket. Zander's Butterfree shrunk back to its normal size at the end of the episode.

Jeremy used a Butterfree in the first half of the Silver town Pokémon Contest in AG151.

In the Kanto Grand Festival a Butterfree is used by Solidad in AG181.

Drew has a Butterfree which made its debut in AG186.

In the manga

In Pokémon Special, Yellow has a Butterfree which evolved from a Caterpie she befriended and captured.

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

In the TCG

Seven Butterfree cards have been released.

• Jungle: Butterfree
• Neo Discovery: Butterfree
• Expedition Base Set: Butterfree, Butterfree, Butterfree, and Butterfree
• EX FireRed and LeafGreen: Butterfree

Pokédex entries

Game		Pokédex
Pokémon Red and Blue		In battle, it flaps its wings at high speed, releasing highly toxic dust into the air.
Pokémon Pinball
Pokémon Trading Card Game	Base Set
	Base Set 2
	Legendary Collection
	Neo Discovery	It collects honey every day. It rubs honey onto the hairs on its legs to carry it back to its nest.
Pokémon Gold
Pokémon Stadium 2
Pokémon Yellow		Its wings, covered with poisonous powders, repel water. This allows it to fly in the rain.
Pokémon Stadium		Its wings are covered with poisonous dust. If you see one flapping its wings, be careful not to inhale any of the dust.
Pokémon Silver		Water-repellent powder on its wings enables it to collect honey, even in the heaviest of rains.
Pokémon Crystal		It flits from flower to flower, collecting honey. It can even identify distant flowers in bloom.
Pokémon Ruby and 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.
Pokémon 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.
Pokémon FireRed		The wings are protected by a rain-repellent dust. As a result, this pokémon can fly about even in rain.
Pokémon LeafGreen		In battle, it flaps its wings at great speed to release highly toxic dust into the air.

Game locations

Game	Rarity	Location
Pokémon Red and Blue	None	Evolve from Metapod
Pokémon Yellow	None	Evolve from Metapod
Pokémon Gold	Uncommon	National Park during the Bug-Catching Contest, Route 2, and may drop from Headbutted trees
Pokémon Silver	Rare	National Park during the Bug-Catching Contest
Pokémon Crystal	Uncommon	National Park during the Bug-Catching Contest, Routes 2, 24 and 25, and may drop from Headbutted trees
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire	None
Pokémon Emerald	None
Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen	None	Evolve from Metapod
Pokémon Colosseum	None
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness	One	Snag from Cipher Peon Targ in Cipher Key Lair
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl	None	Evolve from Metapod

In side games

Game	Location
Pokémon Snap	Beach
Pokémon Trozei	Secret Storage 1 Mr. Who's Den
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon	Evolve from Metapod

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.

Of the first generation Bug Pokemon, Butterfree ties with Scyther, Beedrill and Parasect for the highest base SpDef.

Type effectiveness

In Generation I, the effectiveness of Poison-type moves is 200.

Learnset

By leveling up

Level	Generation I		Generation II	Generation III	Generation IV
	RB	Yellow
Start	Tackle String Shot Harden		Tackle String Shot Harden	Tackle String Shot Harden	Tackle String Shot Harden
10		Confusion	Confusion	Confusion	Confusion
12	Confusion				Poisonpowder Stun Spore Sleep Powder
14		Poisonpowder	Poisonpowder	Poisonpowder
15	Poisonpowder	Sleep Powder	Sleep Powder	Sleep Powder
16	Stun Spore				Gust
17	Sleep Powder
18		Supersonic	Supersonic	Supersonic	Supersonic
21	Supersonic
22					Whirlwind
23		Whirlwind	Whirlwind	Whirlwind
24					Psybeam
26	Whirlwind
28		Gust	Gust	Gust	Silver Wind
30					Tail Wind
32	Psybeam
34		Psybeam	Psybeam	Psybeam	Safeguard
36					Entice
40			Safeguard	Safeguard	Bug Upheavel
47				Silver Wind

By TM/HM

Number	Generation I		Generation II	Generation III	Generation IV
	RB	Y
TM02	Razor Wind
TM03			Curse
TM04	Whirlwind
TM06	Toxic		Toxic	Toxic	Toxic
TM09	Take Down
TM10	Double-Edge		Hidden Power	Hidden Power	Hidden Power
TM11			Sunny Day	Sunny Day	Sunny Day
TM13			Snore
TM15	Hyper Beam		Hyper Beam	Hyper Beam	Hyper Beam
TM17			Protect	Protect	Protect
TM18				Rain Dance	Rain Dance
TM19			Giga Drain	Giga Drain	Giga Drain
TM20	Rage		Endure	Safeguard	Safeguard
TM21	Mega Drain		Frustration	Frustration	Frustration
TM22	Solarbeam		Solarbeam	Solarbeam	Solarbeam
TM27			Return	Return	Return
TM29	Psychic		Psychic	Psychic	Psychic
TM30	Teleport			Shadow Ball	Shadow Ball
TM31	Mimic		Mud-Slap
TM32	Double Team		Double Team	Double Team	Double Team
TM33	Reflect
TM34	Bide		Swagger
TM35			Sleep Talk
TM39	Swift		Swift
TM40			Defense Curl	Aerial Ace	Aerial Ace
TM42				Facade	Facade
TM43				Secret Power	Secret Power
TM44	Rest		Rest	Rest	Rest
TM45			Attract	Attract	Attract
TM46	Psywave			Thief	Thief
TM48				Skill Swap	Skill Swap
TM50	Substitute		Nightmare
TM51					Feather Rest
TM53					Energy Ball
TM58					Endure
TM62					Silver Wind
TM68					Giga Attack
TM70					Flash
TM77					Psych Up
TM78					Entice
TM82					Sleep Talk
TM83					Nature Blessing
TM85					Dream Eater
TM87					Swagger
TM89					Somersault
TM90					Substitute
HM05		Flash	Flash	Flash	Fog Clear

By tutoring

In Pokémon FireRed, Pokémon LeafGreen, and Pokémon Emerald:

• Double-Edge
• Dream Eater
• Mimic
• Substitute

In Pokémon Emerald Only:

• Endure
• Sleep Talk
• Snore
• Swagger
• Swift

Special moves

In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Butterfree knows Shadow Mist and Shadow Rush as a Shadow Pokémon, and learns Morning Sun after being purified.

Trivia

Origin

Its design appears to be based upon a common butterfly, most likely a Cabbage White butterfly.

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
• French: Papilusion - Papillon means butterfly, and illusion is the same in English
• Korean: 버터플 Beoteopeul
• Chinese (Taiwan): 巴大蝴 Ba Dái Hú
• Chinese (Hong Kong): 巴他蝶 Ba Ta Díe

Related articles

• Ash's Butterfree
• Pink Butterfree

External links

• Article on Wikipedia

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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.