Female upperside is dark brown with pale orange spots. Underside of hindwing in both sexes is orange or red-orange and has a band of pale spots.
Females lay eggs singly on or near the host plants.
Nectar from flowers including pickerelweed, selfheal, and sweet pepperbush. Openings near wooded rivers or swamps. Strays north to central Missouri, northern Kentucky, and Delaware. G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. Opler, P. A. and G. O. Krizek.