- Lifespan
- 2–3 years (biennial or short-lived perennial)
- Size & Weight
- 15–100 cm tall; flower heads 1–2 cm diameter
- Habitat
- Damp meadows, grasslands, fens, and woodland edges on neutral to acidic soils throughout the UK.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout the UK, though declining in England; more common in northern and western regions; resident year-round.
- Diet
- Produces nectar and pollen for pollinating insects; the plant itself is herbaceous and photosynthesises.
- Predators
- Herbivorous caterpillars of the Marsh Fritillary butterfly (Euphydryas aurinia) feed exclusively on this plant; also grazed by livestock.
- Mating Season
- June to August (flowering period)
- Breeding
- Reproduces by seed; flowers are visited by insects for pollination; seeds dispersed by wind and water; typically flowers in second year.
- Behaviour
- Devil's-bit Scabious is a keystone plant for the Marsh Fritillary butterfly, which is entirely dependent on it for larval food. The plant attracts a wide range of pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. It indicates species-rich, unimproved grassland.