Brintesia circe is quite similar to Hipparchia fagi, but in the latter the second white streak on the lower wings is always missing and the eyespots have a yellow contour.

— Larva yellowish brown, with a light-bordered dark dorsal line, the dirty yellow head being variegated with dark; on the paler sides there are alternately lighter, darker and reddish longitudinal lines; it lives till June on grasses (Lolium, Anthoxanthum odoratum, etc.)

and turns into a chrysalis which lies free on the ground and is thick in the centre and narrowed to a point at both ends, being of a purple brown colour and showing on the wing-cases a chain of yellowish windows about in the place of the white band of the forewing.

The butterflies are on the wing from July till September, flying with preference on grassy inclines where single oak-trees grow, and settle on bare places on the ground, mole-hills and on tree-trunks, always with the head upwards and the wings tightly closed and placed one over the other, the underside being adapted to the bark of trees.

In South Europe the species appears to occur everywhere very commonly, and it is still very abundant also in southern Germany (Darmstadt), being but rare in the north, extending to Waldeck and the Harz Mts.

These butterflies prefer light woodland, grasslands bordering forest edges and generally dry and bushy environments, at an altitude of 0–1,600 metres (0–5,249 ft) above sea level.