Common throughout the uk this is a butterfly that is easy to identify the rings on the hindwings giving this butterfly its common name. The uppersides are a uniform chocolate brown. It has velvety wings providing a striking contrast with the delicate white fringes found on the wing edges. The dark colouring also allows this butterfly to quickly warm up - this butterfly being one of the few that flies in dull weather. There is one generation each year, with adults emerging in the second half of June, peaking in mid-July, with a few individuals continuing into August.
Males and females are almost identical in appearance. Both sexes take nectar from a variety of sources, Bramble and Thistle being particular favourites. It prefers damp woodland clearings, wood edges, hedgerows and is not often seen in open grassland. Picture taken Old Warden Railway cutting 21st July 2011.