It is found in Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece, east to Asia Minor, northern Iran, Ukraine, the Caucasus to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

The variation in the size of the moths, but also in the coloration of the upper surface of the wings, is considerable.

Adults are on wing from April to August in two generations.They are found on dry, hot, rocky and flowery slopes, ravines, (poor) meadows and abandoned cultivated land up to 1500 meters.

The caterpillar overwinters probably in the last instar There are at least three subspecies: This species was formerly a member of the genus Carcharodus.

As a result of genomic research published in 2020, it was transferred to the genus Muschampia along with five other species.