It is associated with wet muskeg and bogs in subarctic and Arctic climates, and is often found near the tree-line.

The upperside of the wings are dark brown with a fine black and white hashed line along the hind margins.

The forewing has a red or orange strip fairly near the edge on which are four black blotches with white-centred eyespots.

The underside of the forewing is similar to the upperside while the underside of the hindwing is greyish brown with a broad dark brown lateral band and a hashed black and white margin.

[1] The food plants of the larvae are various species of grasses (Poaceae), cottongrasses (Eriophorum) and sedges (Carex).