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 651 verified sightings
Observation date: May 12, 2017
Submitted by: raymond smith
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Sep 23, 2017
Observation date: Jul 29, 2017
Submitted by: RobertWeeden
Region: Fairbanks North Star, Alaska, United States
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Sep 22, 2017
Observation date: Aug 20, 2016
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Sep 22, 2017
Observation date: Sep 02, 2017
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 13, 2017
Observation date: Sep 05, 2017
Submitted by: satchmo0802
Region: Custer County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 13, 2017
Observation date: Sep 03, 2017
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 12, 2017
Observation date: Aug 26, 2017
Submitted by: breck7348
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 12, 2017
Observation date: Jun 12, 2017
Submitted by: JulieLuetzelschwab
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 09, 2017
Observation date: Jun 28, 2017
Submitted by: rhedden
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 09, 2017
Observation date: Jul 16, 2017
Submitted by: dalbanese
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 07, 2017
Observation date: Aug 09, 2015
Submitted by: Austin Baldini
Region: Jefferson County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 26, 2017
Observation date: May 11, 2017
Submitted by: jetboulder@aol.com
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 22, 2017
Observation date: Jul 16, 2017
Submitted by: philohela
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 17, 2017
Observation date: Jun 19, 2017
Submitted by: breck7348
Region: Amador County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 21, 2017
Observation date: May 08, 2015
Submitted by: Tempete
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Apr 29, 2017
Observation date: Jun 23, 2016
Submitted by: JKlodzen
Region: Denali, Alaska, United States
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Apr 29, 2017
Observation date: Mar 11, 2017
Submitted by: JulieLuetzelschwab
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 28, 2017
Observation date: May 28, 2015
Submitted by: JoseBonner
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 28, 2017
Observation date: Sep 26, 2016
Submitted by: taogirl
Region: Rio Grande County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 22, 2016
Observation date: Sep 08, 2016
Submitted by: N Weasel
Region: Madera County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 16, 2016
Observation date: Aug 20, 2016
Submitted by: brodkat
Region: Saguache County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 12, 2016
Observation date: Aug 06, 2016
Submitted by: coreyk
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 12, 2016
Observation date: Jun 27, 2016
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Sierra County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 25, 2016
Observation date: Jul 13, 2016
Submitted by: N Weasel
Region: El Dorado County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 24, 2016
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