The color and textured appearance of the underside of its wings combine to provide camouflage that resembles a dead leaf.

"[2] Like other species in the order of Lepidoptera, the question mark is a holometabolous insect that undergoes four life stages.

These four life stages are embryo (egg), larva (in this case, caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and imago (or adult/butterfly).

After the male has found the female perching on a tree or in the grass, courting ensues, after which the mating of the two occurs.

Near the end of each instar, the larva undergoes a process called apolysis, in which the cuticle, a tough outer layer made of a mixture of chitin and specialized proteins, is released from the softer epidermis beneath, and the epidermis begins to form a new cuticle beneath.

As an adult butterfly, the question mark seeks out rotting fruit, tree sap, dung, or carrion as food sources.