It is common throughout the Palearctic region (from Ireland to the Russian Far East but not Japan) including the Near East and North Africa.It is found in a variety of different habitats and occurs, for example, in humid forests, moorland and shore areas, on embankments or on unimproved grass meadows and heathlands as well as in gardens.

In the typical form the median band is pale-centred and the distal area rather weakly marked.

continuata Krulik the median band is solid, brown or blackish, not interrupted by any white patch.

degenerata Prout the median area is narrowed and broken into two parts, a larger anterior and a smaller posterior.- ab.

Taken in S. Yorkshire.In addition to these casual aberrations montanata shows a strong tendency to the formation of local races.

high elevations in the mountains of Castile and Andalusia, with the forewing white-yellowish, with less markings and these less distinct,the median band narrowed and more fuscous.

from Northern Scandinavia and N. E. Siberia, a smaller, paler form with the markings (except the discal dot) quite weak.