The underside is bright yellow, being somewhat lighter on the forewing, with small marginal and larger submarginal red-brown spots; the middle spot of the forewing black with pale centre, the hindwing bearing a double spot which is mother-of-pearl colour, encircled by a double ring of red brown; fringes above and beneath, as well as head and antenna red brown.

In the female the ground colour of the upperside and the proximal area of the underside of the forewing is white, being slightly yellowish.

The larva is bluish green or grass green, velvety, there being on the back two rows of blackish dots which are traversed by two thin yellow longitudinal lines, above the legs a yellow or reddish longitudinal side line, head dark green; the autumnal larvae without black dorsal spots.

The larva feeds on several species and genera of Fabaceae, including Vicia, Coronilla, Medicago, Lotus, Cytisus and Trifolium.

The species lives in flower meadows up to 2,000 metres above sea level.