This is a common butterfly in the nymphalid family. It has an orange body and distinctively marked orange wings with black spots. The female, but not the male, has black wingtips. The underside of the wing is bright yellow and white; the body is 27-38 mm long. Nymphalids' front legs are short and brush-like and are not used for walking. Like all butterflies, they have club-shaped antennae. The caterpillar is black with orange spots and has big tufts and black spines -- any bird that eats it will choke as the spines catch in its throat.