- Lifespan
- 2–6 weeks as an adult butterfly; larvae develop over several months depending on temperature and generation
- Size & Weight
- Wingspan 32–38 mm
- Habitat
- Shaded woodland edges, clearings, glades, and dappled deciduous or mixed woodland with grassy understory.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout England, Wales, and southern Scotland; absent from far northern Scotland and Ireland. Resident year-round in southern Britain; partial migrant in central and northern regions.
- Diet
- Adults feed on honeydew, rotting fruit, and occasionally tree sap; caterpillars feed on various grass species, particularly wood melick and false brome.
- Predators
- Small birds, spiders, and robber flies; parasitic wasps and flies target caterpillars and pupae.
- Mating Season
- April to October (multiple generations); peak activity May to September
- Breeding
- Two to three broods per year in the south; eggs laid singly on grass stems hatch in 7–10 days; caterpillars take 3–6 weeks to develop depending on temperature.
- Behaviour
- Males are highly territorial, perching on low vegetation or tree trunks and darting out to intercept passing insects. They favour sunny patches within woodland shade. Adults spend much time basking with wings partially open on the ground or low vegetation.