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 685 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 29, 2007
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 04, 2019
Observation date: Jun 02, 2018
Submitted by: Bill Thompson 2524
Region: Ravalli County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 28, 2019
Observation date: May 02, 2018
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Nov 24, 2018
Observation date: Sep 03, 2018
Submitted by: plex1ppus
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Nov 24, 2018
Observation date: Oct 11, 2018
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: King County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Oct 12, 2018
Observation date: Aug 24, 2018
Submitted by: lizmcd
Region: Big Horn County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Oct 09, 2018
Observation date: Aug 23, 2017
Submitted by: Stefan Kreitmeier
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 08, 2018
Observation date: Sep 08, 2018
Submitted by: dlister
Region: Beaverhead County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 14, 2018
Observation date: Sep 06, 2018
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: King County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 06, 2018
Observation date: Aug 03, 2018
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Apache County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 02, 2018
Observation date: Apr 04, 2015
Submitted by: dlister
Region: Washoe County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 17, 2018
Observation date: Jun 28, 2018
Submitted by: taogirl
Region: Delta County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 10, 2018
Observation date: Jul 30, 2018
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sierra County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 05, 2018
Observation date: Jul 15, 2018
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: White Pine County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 03, 2018
Observation date: Jul 18, 2018
Submitted by: 4oclockwatch
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 02, 2018
Observation date: Jun 23, 2018
Submitted by: Team Kweeper
Region: California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 31, 2018
Observation date: Jul 28, 2018
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Pierce County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 29, 2018
Observation date: Jul 18, 2018
Submitted by: naers
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 26, 2018
Observation date: Jul 12, 2018
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Sierra County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 23, 2018
Observation date: Jul 03, 2018
Submitted by: Team Kweeper
Region: Tehama County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 13, 2018
Observation date: Jul 03, 2018
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: El Dorado County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 13, 2018
Observation date: Jul 04, 2018
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 05, 2018
Observation date: Jun 17, 2018
Submitted by: PDunwiddie
Region: Kittitas County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 30, 2018
Observation date: May 12, 2018
Submitted by: Souledout
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 25, 2018
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