This butterfly is similar to other members of the genus Melitaea (primarily to
M. athalia and
M. aurelia). It can be identified by a much darker wing color, dominated by black. On the upper side of the wings, orange fields are often reduced to points, while on the lower side it is dark brown, and the fields along the edge of the wings sometimes have black dots. The edge of the hindwing on the underside is followed by a clear, dark-yellow strip. This species inhabits wet meadows, in Serbia they can be seen exclusively in mountainous areas. Catterpillars are feeding mainly on plants from the genus Valeriana (
V. officinalis, V. sambucifolia, V. dioica, V repens, V pratensis), and sometimes also
Plantago lanceolate or
Polygonum bistorta. This species inhabits the moderate areas of Europe and Western Asia.