This species shows an evident sexual dimorphism and the males are much more close to each other in appearance than the females.

On both sides of the forewings they have two-four black ocelli with white pupils, the first one much larger than the lower ones.

The flight period extends from June to early September and the butterflies lay their eggs on the grass.

The larvae are recorded as feeding on various grasses, including Stipa, Festuca, Bromus erectus and Deschampsia caespitosa.

This species prefers grassy, rocky areas, calcareous grasslands, forest clearings at an elevation of 400–1,800 metres (1,300–5,900 ft) above sea level (up to 3000 m in North Africa).