Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

  Sighting 1178419

Observation date: August 11, 2018
Date notes: Please note that this is Pacific Standard Time
Submitted by: Laura Baker
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: A butterfly was trapped against a glass door within an outdoor courtyard of our home. I took multiple photos of it with wings open and closed. A short time later, a butterfly that was smaller but with similar markings also became temporarily trapped. What drew me to the first butterfly was its silhouette against the glass. The outline was extremely ragged, and at first I thought it might be a butterfly that had been pecked at by a bird. But I saw up close that it was a comma, but one that is unfamiliar to me. The i.d. points that I checked against my butterfly guide indicated that it is possibly a green comma (Polygonia faunus). Here are those points: extremely ragged outline, yellow spots on the black hindwing border, bordered inwardly by a dark brown band, white comma on the underside of the hindwing, greenish body, greenish submarginal band below. My guide (Butterflies through Binoculars in West by Jeffrey Glassberg) indicates on its range map that that species occurs here during this time of year. We live near willows which are a food source. The last photo is of the second butterfly which was smaller but with very similar markings.
Status: Resident
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: August 11, 2018
Coordinator notes: Not a Green Comma-Ken Davenport
Checklist region(s): Sonoma County, United States, California