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. Butterflies east of the Great Plains.