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 721 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 07, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Madera County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 02, 2020
Observation date: Jul 09, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 28, 2020
Observation date: Jul 04, 2019
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sierra County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 05, 2019
Observation date: Oct 13, 2019
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 07, 2019
Observation date: Sep 12, 2019
Submitted by: pnesterenko
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Oct 19, 2019
Observation date: Oct 05, 2019
Submitted by: Goose
Region: San Juan County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Oct 19, 2019
Observation date: Sep 21, 2019
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: Pend Oreille County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Oct 03, 2019
Observation date: Apr 15, 2019
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 19, 2019
Observation date: Aug 03, 2019
Submitted by: Thomlinson
Region: Jefferson County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Sep 08, 2019
Observation date: Sep 04, 2019
Submitted by: Chris Carvalho
Region: Hood River County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 06, 2019
Observation date: Aug 26, 2019
Submitted by: satchmo0802
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 06, 2019
Observation date: Aug 26, 2019
Submitted by: satchmo0802
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 06, 2019
Observation date: Aug 24, 2019
Submitted by: tirvine2020
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 28, 2019
Observation date: Aug 20, 2019
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Cascade County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 27, 2019
Observation date: Aug 24, 2019
Submitted by: EvSherr
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 24, 2019
Observation date: Aug 16, 2019
Submitted by: shastamax
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 17, 2019
Observation date: Aug 11, 2019
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Inyo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 14, 2019
Observation date: Jun 25, 2019
Submitted by: HansPG
Region: Fremont County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 07, 2019
Observation date: Jul 21, 2019
Submitted by: Thomlinson
Region: Tulare County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 02, 2019
Observation date: Jun 24, 2019
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 31, 2019
Observation date: Jul 22, 2019
Submitted by: pdxgene711
Region: Hood River County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 24, 2019
Observation date: Apr 07, 2019
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 24, 2019
Observation date: Jul 02, 2019
Submitted by: Walkerka
Region: Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 08, 2019
Observation date: Jun 23, 2019
Submitted by: briahna
Region: Washoe County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 23, 2019
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