Underside without typical Speyeria spot pattern. Males patrol for females in deep woods.
Females walk along the ground laying single eggs on dead twigs and leaves near violets.
The caterpillars hatch and overwinter without feeding. In the spring they feed on leaves and flowers of violets. One flight from mid-June to early September. Dung and flower nectar from plants including common and swamp milkweeds, ironweed, red clover, and butterflybush. Fields, edges, and openings in moist, rich, forested mountains and valleys.