Females lay their eggs singly on the host plant's leaves and stems. The eggs are pale green or cream colored. The caterpillar eats the leaves, flowers, and stems of the food plant. The caterpillar is red with black stripes. There are white spots in the black stripes. In many individuals, the white is more noticeable than the black. It has six rows of black spines. It has a pair of long, clubbed spines on the head. The chrysalis is shiny white with small black spots. It has a variable amount of brown markings and has orange and gold projections. Adults overwinter in the south and fly north each spring and summer. It has 2-3 broods per year.