- Lifespan
- 2–3 weeks as an adult butterfly; pupae overwinter and emerge in summer
- Size & Weight
- Wingspan 50–56 mm
- Habitat
- Open, sunny grassland with sparse vegetation, including chalk and limestone downland, moorland edges, and coastal cliffs where violets thrive.
- UK Distribution
- Southern England, primarily found on the South Downs, Cotswolds, and scattered locations in Wales and southern Scotland; a summer visitor appearing July to August, occasionally arriving earlier in warm years.
- Diet
- Adults feed on nectar from thistles, knapweed, and other wildflowers; caterpillars feed exclusively on violets, particularly Hairy Violet (Viola hirta) and Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana).
- Predators
- Robber flies, spiders, and insectivorous birds such as redstarts and warblers; parasitoid wasps attack caterpillars and pupae.
- Mating Season
- July to August
- Breeding
- Females lay eggs singly on violet leaves and stems; eggs hatch after approximately 2 weeks; caterpillars feed for 4–5 weeks before pupating; single annual generation with overwinter diapause in the pupal stage.
- Behaviour
- Males patrol open ground in characteristic fast, erratic flight seeking females; they rest with wings closed, displaying the distinctive silvery spots on the underside of hind wings. Highly territorial and sensitive to weather, flying actively only in warm, sunny conditions.