This butterfly is native to south west and central europe. The larvae eat nettles. It flies between April and September, having two or three broods. The butterfly is remarkable in that those seen in the spring have completely different colour and markings to those flying in the summer. The spring form is a bright orange butterfly, with dark patterning, somewhat reminiscent of a brighter Painted Lady, though it is only a little over half the size of that species. The summer form is dark brown with dull yellow bands arranged as those of a Red Admiral, though, again, it is much smaller.
philomel