Allancastria cerisyi flies from March to July, depending on the location.

   They are on the wing on the first warm days of the year in rocky places and the edges of woods. 

   The dorsal side ground color of the male is light yellow.

   The forewings have grey apical markings and a series of black bars perpendicular to the costa.

   The hindwings have small black and red markings mainly in the postdiscal area.

   The marginal areas have a series of small, black triangular projections at the vein ends, extended to give the outer edge of the wing a somewhat dentate appearance. One of these projections is more fully developed into a small tail.

   The ventral side closely resembles the dorsal side. The dark apical forewing marks, however, are absent and the markings in the hindwing are larger and more pronounced.
   The ground color of the female is a deeper yellow and the markings are more pronounced and extended than in the male.