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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 121 - 144 of 1007 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 16, 2022
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Oct 15, 2022
Observation date: Aug 22, 2022
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: White Pine County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 11, 2022
Observation date: Oct 01, 2022
Submitted by: Elaine Taschuk
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: Sep 26, 2022
Submitted by: bdl2074
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 28, 2022
Observation date: Sep 24, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 28, 2022
Observation date: Jul 06, 2022
Submitted by: Aner
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 25, 2022
Observation date: Oct 11, 2018
Submitted by: Corry Anne
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 23, 2022
Observation date: Sep 13, 2017
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 23, 2022
Observation date: Apr 28, 2017
Submitted by: Claude Rioux
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 23, 2022
Observation date: Sep 22, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 22, 2022
Observation date: Sep 18, 2022
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Catron County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 19, 2022
Observation date: Sep 18, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 18, 2022
Observation date: Jul 16, 2022
Submitted by: chneal
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 18, 2022
Observation date: May 26, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Sep 07, 2022
Submitted by: sandyleapt
Region: Clackamas County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 15, 2022
Observation date: Jul 22, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 14, 2022
Observation date: Aug 25, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 13, 2022
Observation date: Sep 12, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Jefferson County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 13, 2022
Observation date: Apr 19, 2020
Submitted by: Joyce Kozdrowski
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
Observation date: Jun 25, 2020
Submitted by: Merlinator
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
Observation date: Aug 01, 2021
Submitted by: Wasp
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 07, 2022
Observation date: Mar 25, 2022
Submitted by: owlp
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 07, 2022
Observation date: Jul 02, 2022
Submitted by: LunaLT
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 07, 2022
Observation date: Jul 25, 2022
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 01, 2022
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