Adults and larvae are vegetarian and polyphagous, on grasses such as couch-grass (Elymus repens), false oat-grass (Arrhenatherum elatius) and reed canary-grass (Phalaris arundinacea).
Silene nutans can sometimes be found in the UK National Vegetation Classification habitat communities: the very widespread MG1 (Arrhenatherum elatius grassland), and thus can be found where Arrhenatherum elatius, (also known as false oat grass), and/or Dactylis glomerata, (cocks foot), occurs.
The hill's vegetation is species-rich chalk grassland, dominated by Upright Brome and False Oat-grass, but with many species characteristic of this habitat, including a strong population of the rare Knapweed Broomrape.