Veins of underside of hindwing may be edged widely with olive. Males patrol hilltops, ridges, or bottoms of canyons in search of females. Eggs are laid singly on any part of the host plants.
Young caterpillars feed on leaves, older ones on flowers.
One flight from February-July. Desert hills and other dry slopes, rocky canyons and outcrops, roadsides, open coniferous forests. G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America.