The larvae feed on Birch, mainly Betula pendula and probably also Betula pubescens, and there also are reports of larvae feeding on Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia). Reports of larvae feeding on Beech (Fagus sylvatica) are unconfirmed.
The imagines feed on nectar (predominantly of Willow catkins) and also are attracted to puddles, mud and animal feces (of horses, cows and dogs).
The species prefers deciduous woodland that offers plenty of both birch and willow. Apart from riparian forests, and peatlands, the species is can also be encountered in parks and gardens.
The imagines fly from February until April and are active during the day. They often fly in the direct sunlight in a swarm around tree tops at midday. This might be a kind of courtship behavior, because they fly lower as the afternoon progresses and finally pairs in copula settle on or near the ground towards the evening. The females deposit the eggs in small groups on birch twigs. They show a very characteristic behavior to determine the ideal location for egg deposition. They creep backwards along a twig until their abdomen touches a bud or a branch. At this location they deposit ca. 5-10 eggs in the angle between the twig and the bud/branch. The larvae hatch after one or a few weeks after egg deposition (depending on the temperature) between March and May. During the night they feed on catkins and young leaves, protected by a light silk web. Often the larvae also use silk to spin together two leaves as a hideout during the day when they do not feed. For pupation the larvae hide beneath soft bark or bore into rotten wood, pupate and overwinter as a pupa. The imagines may eclose in the following spring or a year later.