A univoltine species, partly bivoltine in places: mid June to August or September. In Spain, the flight period is from April to September. (Ornosa & Ortiz-Sánchez, 2004)
Dathe (1980) recognises the subspecies H. signatus berlandi from north west Africa and from the Iberian peninsula.
The single Finnish record (from the Helsinki Botanic Garden (15/07/1958)) is believed to have been an accidental introduction. The forage plants (Reseda spp.) are not found in the country.(Söderman & Leinonen, 2003)