Observation date: August 18, 2025
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: I see both Common and Western noted in BAMONA in this region, but BONM just mentions Western, and Glassberg only has an entry for Common. Is there a difference? Should all Common sightings actually be Western in New Mexico?
Status: Resident
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: August 30, 2025
Coordinator notes: Hi Kelly. the difference is the date of the reference. Abt 20 years ago these butterflies were lumped with Old World H. comma. so any reports dating to about then will call it comma. Since then (I forget the date) New World populations were split off as H. colorado and thus newer reports use that name. It's the same bug, but now recognized as a species distinct from relatives in Eurasia. Seems reasonable to me.
