Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis (Grote & Robinson, 1867)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside is dark red-orange, borders darker; hindwing with yellow submarginal spots. Underside is gray-brown; outer half much lighter, frosted white or silver-gray. Silver spot at center of hindwing is fishhook-shaped.
Wing Span: 1 1/2 - 2 1/4 inches (3.9 - 5.7 cm).
Life History: In the afternoons, males perch on plants in valley bottoms to seek females. Eggs are laid on petioles and undersides of host plant leaves. Caterpillars eat leaves and rest underneath. Adults hibernate.
Flight: Overwintered adults emerge and lay eggs in the spring until June; the new generation appears in July and flies until September, then hibernates.
Caterpillar Hosts: Currants and gooseberries (Ribes), western azalea (Rhododendron occidentale), and mock azalea (Menziesia glabella).
Adult Food: Sap and nectar from flowers of sweet everlasting (Gnaphalium) among others.
Habitat: From foothills to treeline woodland streamsides, brushlands.
Range: Boreal North America south of the tundra. Central Alaska south to central California and northern New Mexico; east across southern Canada and the Great Lakes region to New England and the Maritimes.
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. Note:The Zephyr, subspecies zephyrus, was previously treated as a separate subspecies.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 744 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 07, 2020
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 11, 2020
Observation date: May 28, 2018
Submitted by: sfbaywildlife
Region: Plumas County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 09, 2020
Observation date: Aug 05, 2020
Submitted by: Harry Forbes
Region: Park County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: azukoff
Verified date: Sep 02, 2020
Observation date: May 28, 2020
Submitted by: DeerPark
Region: Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 10, 2020
Observation date: Jul 18, 2020
Submitted by: falco1
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 20, 2020
Observation date: Jul 09, 2020
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 12, 2020
Observation date: Jun 24, 2020
Submitted by: philohela
Region: White Pine County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 05, 2020
Observation date: Jun 24, 2020
Submitted by: cevmendo
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 01, 2020
Observation date: Aug 23, 2017
Submitted by: KirstenO
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 01, 2020
Observation date: Feb 03, 2018
Submitted by: icosahedron
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 28, 2020
Observation date: Apr 16, 2020
Submitted by: dwwagz
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 28, 2020
Observation date: Jun 04, 2020
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 08, 2020
Observation date: Apr 17, 2005
Submitted by: mouser
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 04, 2020
Observation date: May 13, 2020
Submitted by: sgguthart
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Jun 03, 2020
Observation date: May 18, 2020
Submitted by: dbrudin
Region: Teller County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Jun 03, 2020
Observation date: Apr 26, 2020
Submitted by: jft48
Region: Torrance County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 23, 2020
Observation date: Apr 27, 2020
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: May 04, 2020
Observation date: May 31, 2014
Submitted by: cobal2913
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Apr 25, 2020
Observation date: Mar 29, 2020
Submitted by: JulieLuetzelschwab
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 20, 2020
Observation date: Mar 23, 2020
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 20, 2020
Observation date: Apr 11, 2020
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Apr 18, 2020
Observation date: Apr 09, 2020
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Apr 17, 2020
Observation date: Aug 25, 2019
Submitted by: Joey Bom
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Apr 11, 2020
Observation date: Oct 07, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Madera County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 02, 2020
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