Attributes of Polygonia comma
Eastern Comma
Polygonia comma (Harris, 1842)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Small with short hindwing projections. Forewing above is brownish-orange with dark spots; one dark spot at center of bottom edge. Hindwing above has two patterns: summer form is mostly black, winter form is orange with black spots; both have a dark border containing pale spots. Underside is brown; hindwing with a central silver or white comma which is swollen at both ends.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 2 1/2 inches (4.5 - 6.4 cm).
Life History: Males perch on leaves or tree trunks to watch for females, flying aggressively to chase other insects or even birds. Eggs are laid singly or in stacks under host plant leaves or stems. Caterpillars are usually solitary and feed on leaves at night. Older caterpillars make daytime shelters by pulling leaf edges together with silk. Winter form adults hibernate, some first migrating to the south.
Flight: Overwintered adults fly and lay eggs in the spring until the end of April. The summer form emerges and flies from May-September, laying eggs that develop into the winter form. These adults appear in September or October and soon seek shelter in which to overwinter.
Caterpillar Hosts: All members of the elm and nettle families including American elm (Ulmus americana), hops (Humulus), nettle (Urtica), false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), and wood nettle (Laportea canadensis).
Adult Food: Rotting fruit and tree sap.
Habitat: Deciduous woodlands; woods near rivers, marshes, swamps, and other water sources.
Range: Eastern half of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains from southern Canada to central Texas and the Gulf Coast.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Taxonomy Notes:
Images of Polygonia comma
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The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 200 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
Instructions: Click on the map and move your mouse to pan.
Zoom by using the plus [+] and minus [-] on the left side of the map.
To change which map layers are displayed, click on the plus sign [+] on the right side of the map.
The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
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June 26, 2011 | cobal2913 | Franklin County, Ohio, United States | May 05, 2012 | Details |
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April 29, 2012 | JimConrad | Adams County, Mississippi, United States | May 02, 2012 | Details |
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May 01, 2012 | ttttina | Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States | May 02, 2012 | Details |
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March 17, 2012 | menasian | Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States | April 29, 2012 | Details |
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April 16, 2012 | mglackin3 | York County, Pennsylvania, United States | April 29, 2012 | Details |
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February 23, 2012 | jim perretti | Nassau County, New York, United States | April 28, 2012 | Details |
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April 14, 2012 | cheebee32 | Jefferson County, New York, United States | April 28, 2012 | Details |
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April 15, 2012 | curtis.lehman (Rory Bower) | Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, United States | April 17, 2012 | Details |
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April 16, 2012 | treehugger_007 | Lake County, Ohio, United States | April 16, 2012 | Details |
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March 20, 2012 | hdad58 | Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States | April 15, 2012 | Details |
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April 03, 2011 | Chip Krilowicz | Burlington County, New Jersey, United States | April 15, 2012 | Details |
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October 25, 2011 | Chip Krilowicz | Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States | April 15, 2012 | Details |
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May 09, 2011 | Chip Krilowicz | Burlington County, New Jersey, United States | April 15, 2012 | Details |
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March 12, 2012 | Chip Krilowicz | Talbot County, Maryland, United States | April 15, 2012 | Details |
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October 07, 2008 | Chip Krilowicz | Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States | April 15, 2012 | Details |
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March 11, 2012 | Cheryl Jennings | Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States | April 11, 2012 | Details |
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April 07, 2012 | Cheryl Jennings | Hampshire County, West Virginia, United States | April 11, 2012 | Details |
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March 20, 2012 | Marv and Sue Elliott | Rutland County, Vermont, United States | April 04, 2012 | Details |
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March 20, 2012 | gaudettelaura@hotmail.com | Windham County, Vermont, United States | April 04, 2012 | Details |
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July 27, 2011 | Rick Henle | Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States | April 02, 2012 | Details |
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March 26, 2012 | Naseem Reza | Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States | March 31, 2012 | Details |
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March 14, 2012 | Linda Beek | Dakota County, Minnesota, United States | March 22, 2012 | Details |
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March 09, 2010 | Chip Krilowicz | Salem County, New Jersey, United States | March 18, 2012 | Details |
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February 28, 2012 | Jennie_in_the_Smokies | Sevier County, Tennessee, United States | March 03, 2012 | Details |
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July 06, 2010 | Critter | Preston County, West Virginia, United States | February 06, 2012 | Details |
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April 10, 2011 | tjrickert | Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States | January 14, 2012 | Details |
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August 08, 2011 | khemeon | Bennington County, Vermont, United States | December 23, 2011 | Details |
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August 23, 2010 | rdhealy1951 | Hardin County, Kentucky, United States | November 29, 2011 | Details |
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August 19, 2010 | elinpierce | Shelby County, Tennessee, United States | October 16, 2011 | Details |
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August 21, 2011 | pattiep9 | Illinois, United States | September 26, 2011 | Details |
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September 27, 2009 | Howell Curtis | Crawford County, Indiana, United States | September 21, 2011 | Details |
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September 07, 2011 | Randy L Anderson | Henderson County, Illinois, United States | September 21, 2011 | Details |
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September 10, 2011 | jim8435wisc | Jackson County, Wisconsin, United States | September 15, 2011 | Details |
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September 10, 2011 | jim8435wisc | Clark County, Wisconsin, United States | September 15, 2011 | Details |
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June 12, 2011 | WingedWolfPsion | Sarpy County, Nebraska, United States | September 14, 2011 | Details |
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September 11, 2011 | shepherdsong | Stark County, Ohio, United States | September 12, 2011 | Details |
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July 09, 2011 | Mark Wheeler | Washington County, Minnesota, United States | September 11, 2011 | Details |
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September 07, 2011 | jim8435wisc | Calumet County, Wisconsin, United States | September 10, 2011 | Details |
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August 22, 2011 | Dave Kinney | Wexford County, Michigan, United States | August 25, 2011 | Details |
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August 18, 2011 | David L Mathews | Washington County, Minnesota, United States | August 22, 2011 | Details |
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August 20, 2011 | stephen stedman | Fentress County, Tennessee, United States | August 22, 2011 | Details |
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August 11, 2011 | Mark Wheeler | Washington County, Minnesota, United States | August 21, 2011 | Details |
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July 10, 2011 | cgirliegiggle | Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States | August 15, 2011 | Details |
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October 08, 2006 | dendroica5 | Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States | August 14, 2011 | Details |
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June 16, 2011 | Howell Curtis | Madison County, Indiana, United States | August 03, 2011 | Details |
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May 24, 2010 | Eric McCloud | Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States | August 02, 2011 | Details |
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June 30, 2011 | flacracker | Adams County, Mississippi, United States | July 29, 2011 | Details |
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June 21, 2011 | lisairaqi | Somerset County, New Jersey, United States | July 19, 2011 | Details |
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June 27, 2011 | Jim Dolan | Columbiana County, Ohio, United States | July 03, 2011 | Details |
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April 30, 2011 | Leesa | Ontario, Canada | June 29, 2011 | Details |
