- Lifespan
- Approximately 10 months as adults, with eggs and pupae overwintering
- Size & Weight
- Wingspan 27–32 mm
- Habitat
- Open woodlands, hedgerows, and scrubland with blackthorn and other host plants, typically in warm, sheltered locations.
- UK Distribution
- Southern England, primarily in the Midlands and south, with populations scattered through Wales and the south coast; non-migratory resident species with very localized colonies.
- Diet
- Adults feed on honeydew secreted by aphids and sap from trees; caterpillars feed exclusively on blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) and occasionally hawthorn.
- Predators
- Spiders, robber flies, and insectivorous birds such as warblers and flycatchers.
- Mating Season
- July to September
- Breeding
- Females lay single eggs on blackthorn twigs in late summer; eggs overwinter and hatch in spring; single brood per year; caterpillars feed from April to June before pupating.
- Behaviour
- Males perch on tall vegetation in sunny spots, displaying alert, territorial behaviour and patrolling for females. Adults are swift fliers and remain high in vegetation, making them difficult to observe. They are most active in warm, sunny weather.