| Butterfree | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Others | Caterpie (larval stage) Metapod (pupal stage) Worm Pokémon (Caterpie) Cocoon Pokémon (Metapod) Butterfly Pokémon (Butterfree) Chenipan, Chrysacier and Papillusion (French) Raupy, Safcon and Smettbo (German) 綠毛蟲 Luhkmòuhchùhng, 鐵甲蛹 Titgaapyúng / 鐵甲蟲 Titgaapchùhng and 巴大蝶 Bādaaihdihp / 巴他蝶 Bātādihp (Cantonese) 綠毛蟲 / 绿毛虫 Lǜmáochóng, 鐵甲蛹 / 铁甲蛹 Tiějiǎyǒng and 巴大蝶 Bādàdié / 巴大蝴 Bādàhú (Mandarin) 캐터피 Caterpie, 단데기 Tandegi and 버터플 Beoteopeul (Korean) | ||
| Binomen | N/A | ||
| Original | キャタピー, トランセル and バタフリー | ||
| Romanization | Caterpie, Transel and Batafurī | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Lepidopteran | ||
| Average height | 30 cm (Caterpie) 70 cm (Metapod) 1.1 m (Butterfree) 17+ m (Gigantamax Butterfree) | ||
| Average weight | 2.9 kg (Caterpie) 9.9 kg (Metapod) 32 kg (Butterfree) | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Non-sapient | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Place of origin | Kanto region, Pokémon World | ||
| Habitat | Fields and forests | ||
| Diet | Herbivorous | ||
| Locomotion | Quadrupedal (Caterpie) Flight (Butterfree) | ||
| Status | LC | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | Pokémon | ||
Butterfree is a Bug/Flying-type Pokémon species whose life cycle includes a larval stage known as Caterpie, and a pupal stage known as Metapod, which both are pure Bug-types. Wild populations of this species are known to exist in forests and fields in the regions of Kanto, Johto, Sinnoh, Kalos, Alola, and Galar.
Biology[]
Caterpie[]
The larval stage of this species resembles a green and yellow-colored caterpillar with a prominent red osmeterium on its head: an antenna-like organ that emits an unpleasant stench to drive predators away. It has four stubby legs, a teardrop-shaped tail, and large black eyes.
Caterpie's four feet are equipped with suction cups, which allows it to easily cling to any surface and tirelessly climb trees to forage on their foliage. With its voracious appetite, it can rapidly devour leaves that are larger than its own body, and consumes circa 100 leaves per day. Its primary means of attack is to shoot strings of silk to entangle opponents.
Like most arthropods, Caterpie molds multiple times during its life. When it's ready to evolve, it sheds its skin one last time and covers itself in silk to cocoon itself and mature into its next life stage: Metapod.
Metapod[]
As a pupa, Metapod usually stands still, although it remains capable of battling (though wild specimens usually lack any usable move with the exception of Harden, which increases their defense but causes no damage to the opponent). Curiously, its eyes appear to have a white sclera, making them resemble human eyes rather than bug eyes.
Although its shell can be as hard as iron, it can still be damaged by sudden impacts, leaving its soft body exposed and vulnerable.
Butterfree[]
The imago form of this species is a medium-sized butterfly-like creature; although, unlike most insects, it has only four limbs and no segmentation on its body. Its usual coloration is purple, with blue-colored arms, legs and snout; black-and-white patterned wings; and red compound eyes. Female Butterfree have black spots on their lower wings. In the rare shiny variant, its arms, legs and snout are instead pink, and its eyes are green. Distinct color varieties are also known to exist, including pink Butterfree and Orange Archipelago Butterfree.
Butterfree relies heavily on spores to fight, which can intoxicate, induce sleep or paralysis on its opponent. Being a flying-type, it can also generate destructive wind-based attacks with its wings. Since its wing scales are waterproof, it can still fly in the rain.
Butterfree make their nests on trees and will venture several kilometers away in search of flower honey to feed. While it collects the honey, it's also known to polinize flowers, making it an ecologically-important species. In the flowery meadows of Alola, Butterfree and Cutiefly have been observed to have heated territorial disputes.
Unlike most butterflies, Butterfree displays signs of parental care, as it will attack any bird Pokémon it sees going after Caterpie. The bond displayed between Ash's male Butterfree and the pink female Butterfree in the anime also suggests that this species might be monogamous.
Some members of this species are capable of temporarily assuming a Gigantamax form when they Dynamax.
Gallery[]
Notes[]
- Butterfree's Gigantamax form is an homage to the classic daikaiju Mothra.