They feed on flower nectar, including yellow composites and bistort. Food plants include crowberry, bistort, and members of the aramanth and birch families. Alpine bistort flowers in June and July. Mule's ears, buttercups, purshia, bistort, various penstemons, mahala mat, and shooting stars are common. Alpine bistort is a perennial herb that grows to tall. Alpine bistort grows in many different plant communities, very often in abundance. Alpine bistort has been shown to form an ectomycorrhizal root symbiosis with fungi.