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 749 verified sightings

Observation date: Sep 06, 2020
Submitted by: J_Martineau (Charlotte Martineau)
Region: Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 18, 2021

Observation date: May 06, 2020
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 18, 2021

Observation date: Jul 08, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Cibola County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 17, 2020

Observation date: Jun 29, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 12, 2020

Observation date: Jul 02, 2020
Submitted by: LisaFC
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 08, 2020

Observation date: Sep 07, 2020
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 11, 2020

Observation date: May 28, 2018
Submitted by: sfbaywildlife
Region: Plumas County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 09, 2020

Observation date: Aug 05, 2020
Submitted by: Harry Forbes
Region: Park County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: