As with 200 years ago, this species is still commonly seen in spring, peaking in number before other butterflies emerge in the summer. As Jenyns notes, the females are far less conspicuous and harder to see, lacking the bright orange wing tips that give the species its name. The male also behaves differently, often patrolling in plain sight, whilst females remain hunkered down in the undergrowth. However, loss of floodplain meadows growing foodplants such as garlic mustard and cuckooflower may have reduced the total population.