Attributes of Polygonia gracilis
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.
Taxonomy Notes:
Images of Polygonia gracilis
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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.
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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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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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May 06, 2012 | PDunwiddie | Skagit County, Washington, United States | May 08, 2012 | Details |
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March 15, 2012 | joeschelling | Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States | March 23, 2012 | Details |
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July 16, 2009 | sararobinson | Yellowstone National Park County, Wyoming, United States | March 08, 2012 | Details |
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July 19, 2011 | Nancy Lea Sandy | Natrona County, Wyoming, United States | March 08, 2012 | Details |
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October 15, 2011 | ScottFromWyoming | Park County, Wyoming, United States | March 04, 2012 | Details |
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June 20, 2009 | sararobinson | Carbon County, Montana, United States | February 01, 2012 | Details |
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September 20, 2011 | sugarmck | Lincoln County, Wyoming, United States | December 17, 2011 | Details |
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July 24, 2011 | cpcdolan | Rio Grande County, Colorado, United States | August 09, 2011 | Details |
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May 14, 2011 | plex1ppus (plex1ppus) | Spokane County, Washington, United States | May 23, 2011 | Details |
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May 14, 2011 | plex1ppus (plex1ppus) | Spokane County, Washington, United States | May 17, 2011 | Details |
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April 24, 2011 | gerryq | Latah County, Idaho, United States | May 03, 2011 | Details |
| June 30, 1986 | legacy.reporter (unknown) | El Dorado County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| July 19, 2005 | legacy.reporter (William Bouton) | Tuolumne County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| March 14, 2011 | Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport) | Tulare County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| July 04, 1997 | Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport) | Clark County, Nevada, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
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July 01, 2010 | J_Martineau | Fremont County, Wyoming, United States | February 10, 2011 | Details |
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August 17, 2011 | silverleapers | Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada | January 31, 2011 | Details |
| July 16, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) | Madison County, Montana, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| July 14, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) | Okanogan County, Washington, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| September 27, 2010 | paulopler (Paul Opler) | Okanogan County, Wyoming, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| June 02, 2010 | Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport) | Coconino County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| June 30, 1986 | legacy.reporter (unknown) | El Dorado County, California, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| July 19, 2005 | legacy.reporter (William Bouton) | Tuolumne County, California, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| June 21, 1987 | paulopler (Paul Opler) | Madera County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| June 24, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Trinity County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| June 15, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Trinity County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| June 25, 1977 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Trinity County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| June 26, 1977 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Trinity County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| July 09, 1977 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 15, 1977 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 15, 1977 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| July 12, 1979 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 06, 1978 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| September 16, 1978 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| July 19, 1977 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Trinity County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 06, 1978 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 06, 1978 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Trinity County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 16, 1979 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 08, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 10, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| September 05, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Trinity County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| September 07, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| September 20, 1979 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| September 21, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| October 01, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Trinity County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| July 04, 2008 | legacy.reporter (Jack Vaughn) | Fresno County, California, United States | April 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 11, 1985 | legacy.reporter (Laurence Crabtree) | Tehama County, California, United States | March 09, 2010 | Details | |
| August 01, 1987 | legacy.reporter (Laurence Crabtree) | Lassen County, California, United States | March 09, 2010 | Details | |
| June 26, 1978 | legacy.reporter (John F. Emmel) | Riverside County, California, United States | March 09, 2010 | Details | |
| June 21, 1979 | legacy.reporter (Richard V. Kelson) | Lake County, California, United States | March 09, 2010 | Details |
