Males usually have black antennal knobs. Underside of hindwing has a dark marginal patch containing a light-colored crescent. Eggs are laid in small batches on underside of host plant leaves.
Caterpillars eat leaves and are gregarious when young.
Hibernation is by third-stage caterpillars. Nectar from a great variety of flowers including dogbane, swamp milkweed, shepherd's needle, asters, and winter cress. Open areas such as pastures, road edges, vacant lots, fields, open pine woods. G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. Opler, P. A. and G. O. Krizek.