Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Below is a list of the larval hostplants for the Lycaenidae family. Those named in bold are the main hostplants otherwise they are secondary. Novel or alien hostplants or those only recorded as used in captivity are not listed.
| Species | Hostplants | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Green Hairstreak Callophrys rubi | Broom Cytisus scoparius | More info |
| Dyer's Greenweed Genista tinctoria | More info | |
| Common Rock-rose Helianthemum nummularium | More info | |
| Bird's-foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus | More info | |
| Gorse Ulex europaeus | More info | |
| Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus | More info | |
| Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | More info | |
| Heather Calluna vulgaris | More info | |
| Dogwood Cornus sanguinea | More info | |
| Crowberry Empetrum nigrum | More info | |
| Bell Heather Erica cinerea | More info | |
| Cross-leaved Heath Erica tetralix | More info | |
| Alder Buckthorn Frangula alnus | More info | |
| Petty Whin Genista anglica | More info | |
| Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil Lotus pedunculatus | More info | |
| Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica | More info | |
| Bramble Rubus fruticosus | More info | |
| Western Gorse Ulex gallii | More info | |
| Dwarf Gorse Ulex minor | More info | |
| Cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccus | More info | |
| Cowberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea | More info | Brown Hairstreak Thecla betulae | Blackthorn Prunus spinosa | More info |
| Purple Hairstreak Favonius quercus | Sessile Oak Quercus petraea | More info |
| Pedunculate Oak Quercus robur | More info | |
| White-letter Hairstreak Satyrium w-album | Wych Elm Ulmus glabra | More info |
| English Elm Ulmus procera | ||
| Ulmus minor agg. | More info | |
| Black Hairstreak Satyrium pruni | Blackthorn Prunus spinosa | More info |
| Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas | Common Sorrel Rumex acetosa | More info |
| Sheep's Sorrel Rumex acetosella | More info | |
| Water Dock Rumex hydrolapathum | More info | |
| Broad-leaved Dock Rumex obtusifolius | More info | |
| Fiddle Dock Rumex pulcher | More info | |
| Small Blue Cupido minimus | Kidney Vetch Anthyllis vulneraria | More info |
| Silver-studded Blue Plebejus argus | Heather Calluna vulgaris | More info |
| Bell Heather Erica cinerea | More info | |
| Common Rock-rose Helianthemum nummularium | More info | |
| Hoary Rock-rose Helianthemum oelandicum | More info | |
| Bird's-foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus | More info | |
| Bird's-foot Ornithopus perpusillus | More info | |
| Gorse Ulex europaeus | More info | |
| Kidney Vetch Anthyllis vulneraria | More info | |
| Cross-leaved Heath Erica tetralix | More info | |
| Petty Whin Genista anglica | More info | |
| Horseshoe Vetch Hippocrepis comosa | More info | |
| Common Restharrow Ononis repens | More info | |
| Spiny Restharrow Ononis spinosa | More info | |
| Wild Thyme Thymus polytrichus | More info | |
| Hare's-foot Clover Trifolium arvense | More info | |
| Western Gorse Ulex gallii | More info | |
| Brown Argus Aricia agestis | Common Stork's-bill Erodium cicutarium | More info |
| Dove-s-foot Crane's-bill Geranium molle | More info | |
| Common Rock-rose Helianthemum nummularium | More info | |
| Cut-leaved Crane's-bill Geranium dissectum | More info | |
| Meadow Crane's-bill Geranium pratense | More info | |
| Hedgerow Crane's-bill Geranium pyrenaicum | More info | |
| Northern Brown Argus Aricia artaxerxes | Common Rock-rose Helianthemum nummularium | More info |
| Common Stork's-bill Erodium cicutarium | More info | |
| Bloody Crane's-bill Geranium sanguineum | More info | |
| Common Blue Polyommatus icarus | Bird's-foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus | More info |
| Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil Lotus pedunculatus | More info | |
| Black Medick Medicago lupulina | More info | |
| Common Restharrow Ononis repens | More info | |
| Bird's-foot Ornithopus perpusillus | More info | |
| Hop Trefoil Trifolium campetsre | More info | |
| Lesser Trefoil Trifolium dubium | More info | |
| Red Clover Trifolium pratense | More info | |
| White Clover Trifolium repens | More info | |
| Spiny Restharrow Ononis spinosa | More info | |
| Chalk Hill Blue Polyommatus coridon | Horseshoe Vetch Hippocrepis comosa | More info |
| Kidney Vetch Anthyllis vulneraria | More info | |
| Black Medick Medicago lupulina | More info | |
| Common Restharrow Ononis repens | More info | |
| Bird's-foot Ornithopus perpusillus | More info | |
| Hop Trefoil Trifolium campetsre | More info | |
| Lesser Trefoil Trifolium dubium | More info | |
| Adonis Blue Polyommatus bellargus | Horseshoe Vetch Hippocrepis comosa | More info |
| White Clover Trifolium repens | More info | |
| Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus | Holly Ilex aquifolium | More info |
| Common Ivy Hedera helix | More info | |
| Heather Calluna vulgaris | More info | |
| Dogwood Cornus sanguinea | More info | |
| Broom Cytisus scoparius | More info | |
| Spindle Euonymus europaeus | More info | |
| Alder Buckthorn Frangula alnus | More info | |
| Hop Humulus lupulus | More info | |
| Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria | More info | |
| Bramble Rubus fruticosus | More info | |
| Raspberry Rubus idaeus | More info | |
| Grey Willows Salix cinerea | More info | |
| Gorse Ulex europaeus | More info | |
| Wayfaring Tree Viburnum lantana | More info | |
| Large Blue Phengaris arion | Wild Thyme Thymus polytrichus | More info |
| Wild Marjoram Origanum vulgare | More info |
Reference: Roger L.H. Dennis (2010), A Resource-based Habitat View for Conservation – Butterflies in the British Landscape, Wiley-Blackwell