This magnificent but elusive butterfly with a wingspan of 55 to 70 mm flies high in the tree-tops of broadleaved woodland where it feeds on aphid honeydew and tree sap. Only occasionally it descends to the ground, usually in mid-morning, where it probes for salts and minerals from moist ground or animal dung. These vital substances are passed to the females during copulation and are possibly essential to produce fertile eggs.
The female is a deep brown and resembles the Eurasian white admiral (Limenitis camilla). However, it has an orange-ringed eyespot under the forewing. The male is one of the most beautiful butterflies in Europe. From certain angles it appears to have black wings intersected with white bands. When the wings are at a certain angle to the sun, a beautiful purple sheen is displayed. This is the result of light being refracted from the wing scales. The female does not possess the purple sheen found in the male. They are on the wing from June to July.