Butterfree

Butterfree is a Bug/Flying type Pokémon introduced in Generation 1.

Butterfree has a Gigantamax form available in Pokémon Sword/Shield, with an exclusive G-Max move, G-Max Befuddle.

Butterfree artwork by Ken Sugimori

Additional artwork

Pokédex data

National № 0012
Type Bug Flying
Species Butterfly Pokémon
Height 1.1 m (3′07″)
Weight 32.0 kg (70.5 lbs)
Abilities 1. Compound Eyes
Tinted Lens (hidden ability)
Local № 0012 (Red/Blue/Yellow)
0026 (Gold/Silver/Crystal)
0012 (FireRed/LeafGreen)
0026 (HeartGold/SoulSilver)
0025 (X/Y — Central Kalos)
0019 (Sun/Moon — Alola dex)
0019 (U.Sun/U.Moon — Alola dex)
0012 (Let's Go Pikachu/Let's Go Eevee)
0015 (Sword/Shield)

Training

EV yield 2 Sp. Atk, 1 Sp. Def
Catch rate 45 (5.9% with PokéBall, full HP)
Base Friendship 50 (normal)
Base Exp. 178
Growth Rate Medium Fast

Breeding

Egg Groups Bug
Gender 50% male, 50% female
Egg cycles 15 (3,599–3,855 steps)

Base stats

HP 60
230 324
Attack 45
85 207
Defense 50
94 218
Sp. Atk 90
166 306
Sp. Def 80
148 284
Speed 70
130 262
Total 395 Min Max

The ranges shown on the right are for a level 100 Pokémon. Maximum values are based on a beneficial nature, 252 EVs, 31 IVs; minimum values are based on a hindering nature, 0 EVs, 0 IVs.

Type defenses

The effectiveness of each type on Butterfree.

Evolution chart

(Level 7)
Metapod#0011
Metapod
Bug
(Level 10)

Butterfree changes

Pokédex entries

Butterfree

Red
Blue
In battle, it flaps its wings at high speed to release highly toxic dust into the air.
Yellow Its wings, covered with poisonous powders, repel water. This allows it to fly in the rain.
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.
Ruby
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.
FireRed The wings are protected by 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.
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.
Diamond
Pearl
Platinum
It loves the honey of flowers and can locate flower patches that have even tiny amounts of pollen.
HeartGold It collects honey every day. It rubs honey onto the hairs on its legs to carry it back to its nest.
SoulSilver Water-repellent powder on its wings enables it to collect honey, even in the heaviest of rains.
Black
White
Black 2
White 2
It loves the honey of flowers and can locate flower patches that have even tiny amounts of pollen.
X It loves the honey of flowers and can locate flower patches that have even tiny amounts of pollen.
Y The wings are protected by rain-repellent dust. As a result, this Pokémon can fly about even in rain.
Omega Ruby
Alpha 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.
Sun Close examination of its large eyes reveals that each eye is composed of a myriad of tiny eyes.
Moon When attacked by other Pokémon, it defends itself by scattering its poisonous scales and fluttering its wings.
Ultra Sun Its wings are covered in toxic scales. If it finds bird Pokémon going after Caterpie, Butterfree sprinkles its scales on them to drive them off.
Ultra Moon Nectar from pretty flowers is its favorite food. In fields of flowers, it has heated battles with Cutiefly for territory.
Let's Go Pikachu
Let's Go Eevee
Its wings, covered with poisonous powder, repel water. This allows it to fly in the rain.
Sword In battle, it flaps its wings at great speed to release highly toxic dust into the air.
Shield It collects honey every day. It rubs honey onto the hairs on its legs to carry it back to its nest.
Brilliant Diamond
Shining Pearl
It loves the nectar of flowers and can locate flower patches that have even tiny amounts of pollen.

Gigantamax

Sword Crystallized Gigantamax energy makes up this Pokémon’s blindingly bright and highly toxic scales.
Shield Once it has opponents trapped in a tornado that could blow away a 10-ton truck, it finishes them off with its poisonous scales.

Moves learned by Butterfree

Moves learnt by level up

Butterfree learns the following moves in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl at the levels specified.

Lv.
Move
Type
Cat.
Power
Acc.
1Bug BiteBugPhysical 60 100
1GustFlyingSpecial 40 100
1HardenNormalStatus
1String ShotBugStatus 95
1TackleNormalPhysical 40 100
4SupersonicNormalStatus 55
8ConfusionPsychicSpecial 50 100
12Poison PowderPoisonStatus 75
12Sleep PowderGrassStatus 75
12Stun SporeGrassStatus 75
16PsybeamPsychicSpecial 65 100
20WhirlwindNormalStatus
24Air SlashFlyingSpecial 75 95
28SafeguardNormalStatus
32Bug BuzzBugSpecial 90 100
36TailwindFlyingStatus
40Rage PowderBugStatus
44Quiver DanceBugStatus

Moves learnt on evolution

Butterfree learns the following moves when it evolves in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl (regardless of level).

Move
Type
Cat.
Power
Acc.
GustFlyingSpecial 40 100

Egg moves

Butterfree does not learn any moves by breeding in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl.

Moves learnt by TM

Butterfree is compatible with these Technical Machines in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl:

TM
Move
Type
Cat.
Power
Acc.
11Sunny DayFireStatus
15Hyper BeamNormalSpecial 150 90
17ProtectNormalStatus
18Rain DanceWaterStatus
19Giga DrainGrassSpecial 75 100
20SafeguardNormalStatus
22Solar BeamGrassSpecial 120 100
29PsychicPsychicSpecial 90 100
30Shadow BallGhostSpecial 80 100
32Double TeamNormalStatus
40Aerial AceFlyingPhysical 60
42FacadeNormalPhysical 70 100
44RestPsychicStatus
45AttractNormalStatus 100
46ThiefDarkPhysical 60 100
48Skill SwapPsychicStatus
51RoostFlyingStatus
53Energy BallGrassSpecial 90 100
58EndureNormalStatus
62Bug BuzzBugSpecial 90 100
68Giga ImpactNormalPhysical 150 90
70FlashNormalStatus 100
77Psych UpNormalStatus
82Sleep TalkNormalStatus
85Dream EaterPsychicSpecial 100 100
87SwaggerNormalStatus 85
89U-turnBugPhysical 70 100
90SubstituteNormalStatus
97DefogFlyingStatus

Moves learnt by level up

Butterfree learns the following moves in Pokémon Sword & Shield at the levels specified.

Lv.
Move
Type
Cat.
Power
Acc.
1Bug BiteBugPhysical 60 100
1GustFlyingSpecial 40 100
1HardenNormalStatus
1String ShotBugStatus 95
1TackleNormalPhysical 40 100
4SupersonicNormalStatus 55
8ConfusionPsychicSpecial 50 100
12Poison PowderPoisonStatus 75
12Sleep PowderGrassStatus 75
12Stun SporeGrassStatus 75
16PsybeamPsychicSpecial 65 100
20WhirlwindNormalStatus
24Air SlashFlyingSpecial 75 95
28SafeguardNormalStatus
32Bug BuzzBugSpecial 90 100
36TailwindFlyingStatus
40Rage PowderBugStatus
44Quiver DanceBugStatus

Moves learnt on evolution

Butterfree learns the following moves when it evolves in Pokémon Sword & Shield (regardless of level).

Move
Type
Cat.
Power
Acc.
GustFlyingSpecial 40 100

Egg moves

Butterfree does not learn any moves by breeding in Pokémon Sword & Shield.

Move Tutor moves

Butterfree can be taught these attacks in Pokémon Sword & Shield from move tutors (details):

Move
Type
Cat.
Power
Acc.
Dual WingbeatFlyingPhysical 40 90

Moves learnt by TM

Butterfree is compatible with these Technical Machines in Pokémon Sword & Shield:

TM
Move
Type
Cat.
Power
Acc.
08Hyper BeamNormalSpecial 150 90
09Giga ImpactNormalPhysical 150 90
11Solar BeamGrassSpecial 120 100
19SafeguardNormalStatus
21RestPsychicStatus
23ThiefDarkPhysical 60 100
24SnoreNormalSpecial 50 100
25ProtectNormalStatus
28Giga DrainGrassSpecial 75 100
31AttractNormalStatus 100
33Rain DanceWaterStatus
34Sunny DayFireStatus
39FacadeNormalPhysical 70 100
40SwiftNormalSpecial 60
56U-turnBugPhysical 70 100
74VenoshockPoisonSpecial 65 100
76RoundNormalSpecial 60 100
78AcrobaticsFlyingPhysical 55 100
82ElectrowebElectricSpecial 55 95
87Draining KissFairySpecial 50 100
95Air SlashFlyingSpecial 75 95

Moves learnt by TR

Butterfree is compatible with these Technical Records in Pokémon Sword & Shield:

TR
Move
Type
Cat.
Power
Acc.
11PsychicPsychicSpecial 90 100
20SubstituteNormalStatus
26EndureNormalStatus
27Sleep TalkNormalStatus
29Baton PassNormalStatus
33Shadow BallGhostSpecial 80 100
40Skill SwapPsychicStatus
46Iron DefenseSteelStatus
61Bug BuzzBugSpecial 90 100
65Energy BallGrassSpecial 90 100
89HurricaneFlyingSpecial 110 70
96Pollen PuffBugSpecial 90 100

Butterfree sprites

Type Generation 1 Generation 2 Generation 3 Generation 4 Generation 5 Generation 6 Generation 7 Generation 8 Generation 9
Normal Butterfree sprite from Red & Blue Butterfree sprite from Silver Butterfree sprite from Ruby & Sapphire Butterfree sprite from Diamond & Pearl Butterfree sprite from Black & White Butterfree sprite from X & Y Butterfree sprite from Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Butterfree sprite from Sword & Shield
Shiny Butterfree Shiny sprite from Silver Butterfree Shiny sprite from Ruby & Sapphire Butterfree Shiny sprite from Diamond & Pearl Butterfree Shiny sprite from Black & White Butterfree Shiny sprite from X & Y Butterfree Shiny sprite from Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon

Where to find Butterfree

Red
Blue
Yellow
Evolve Caterpie/Metapod
Gold Route 2, 26, 27, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, Azalea Town, Ilex Forest, Lake of Rage, National Park
Silver National Park
Crystal Route 2, 24, 25, Ilex Forest, National Park
Ruby
Sapphire
Trade/migrate from another game
FireRed
LeafGreen
Evolve Caterpie/Metapod
Emerald Trade/migrate from another game
Diamond
Pearl
Platinum
Evolve Caterpie/Metapod
HeartGold Route 2, 47, Ilex Forest, National Park, Viridian Forest
SoulSilver National Park
Black Trade/migrate from another game
White Route 12
Black 2
White 2
Trade/migrate from another game
X
Y
Evolve Caterpie/Metapod
Omega Ruby
Alpha Sapphire
Trade/migrate from another game
Sun
Moon
Ultra Sun
Ultra Moon
Route 5, Melemele Meadow, Lush Jungle
Let's Go Pikachu Viridian Forest
Let's Go Eevee Evolve Caterpie/Metapod
Sword
Shield
Rolling Fields, East Lake Axewell, Slumbering Weald, Giant's Mirror
Brilliant Diamond Evolve Caterpie/Metapod
Shining Pearl Trade/migrate from another game
Legends: Arceus Not available in this game
Scarlet
Violet
Location data not yet available

Answers to Butterfree questions

Other languages

English Butterfree
Japanese バタフリー (Butterfree)
German Smettbo
French Papilusion
Italian Butterfree
Spanish Butterfree
Korean 버터플 (beoteopeul)
Chinese (Simplified) 巴大蝶
Chinese (Traditional) 巴大蝶

 

English Butterfly Pokémon
Japanese ちょうちょポケモン
German Falter-Pokémon
French Pokémon Papillon
Italian Pokémon Farfalla
Spanish Pokémon Mariposa
Korean 나비포켓몬
Chinese (Simplified) 蝴蝶宝可梦
Chinese (Traditional) 蝴蝶寶可夢

Name origin

butterfly
a species of flying insect
free
without limit, now it’s able to fly