Adults feed on nectar and may hibernate over winter; in warmer climates they may have two broods in a season.

It is a medium-sized butterfly that is mainly reddish orange, with black and yellow markings on the forewings as well as a ring of blue spots around the edge of the wings.

Underside of the forewing ochreous, with the costal spots as above, the apex and distal margin blackish; hindwing brown, basal half black with dentate edge, the whole surface with darker pencilling; at the distal margin of both wings contiguous dull blue lunules.

The Corsican small tortoiseshell (Aglais ichnusa) looks very similar; whether it is a subspecies or a distinct species is yet to be determined.

The effect of other phenomena are still poorly understood (environmental degradation, air pollution, contamination by pesticides).

However, before 2000, according to data from an English butterfly monitoring programme, there was a good correlation between reproductive success, the abundance of populations of this species and the host plant moisture stress.

If there is not adequate rainfall in the early summer, then the plants will not be able to fully develop, leaving the larvae without a suitable source of nutrition.

The species has one of the longest seasons of any Eurasian butterfly, extending from early spring to late autumn.

Adults overwinter in hibernation, emerging on the first warm sunny days of the year to mate and breed.

In southern parts of the range there may be two broods each year, but northern insects are inhibited by long length of summer days from breeding a second time.

[10] Towards the end of their foraging for hibernation, they are much more susceptible to attacks by birds because of their low muscle to body mass ratio.

The butterflies that hibernate in areas containing more light, and that are accessible to rodents who can climb, are the most susceptible to this type of predation.

In addition to this, when discovered, tortoiseshell butterflies will flick their wings open to reveal bright colours.

The bright red colouration serves as a cautionary sign to the predator about the poor taste of the butterfly.

Male butterflies usually bask and feed until mid-day and then display territorial behaviour until roosting.

After a certain distance travelled from the nest, one butterfly will return to the territory while the other flies along in search of another suitable location.

These butterflies have a developed Johnston's organ in their second antennae responsible for determining air currents in a number of other insects.