It is found from southeastern Virginia west to southwestern Missouri and south to eastern Texas, the Gulf Coast and northern Florida.

The upperside is bright orange with wide dark borders.

The underside of the hindwings is dark brown in females and orange in males.

Adults feed on the nectar of various flowers, including sweet pepperbush, chinquapin, pickerelweed and swamp milkweed.

The larvae probably feed on Arundinaria species.