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 145 - 168 of 1007 verified sightings
Observation date: May 25, 2022
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: White Pine County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 25, 2022
Observation date: Jul 23, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 25, 2022
Observation date: Jul 21, 2022
Submitted by: MikeandShelley
Region: Pierce County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 24, 2022
Observation date: Jul 02, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 23, 2022
Observation date: Jul 14, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 22, 2022
Observation date: Jul 14, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 21, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 11, 2022
Observation date: Jun 26, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 01, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Douglas County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
Observation date: Jun 28, 2022
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 22, 2022
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Park County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 06, 2022
Observation date: Jun 30, 2022
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 04, 2022
Observation date: Jun 29, 2022
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 04, 2022
Observation date: Jun 26, 2022
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Plumas County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 03, 2022
Observation date: Jun 25, 2022
Submitted by: tjay13
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 03, 2022
Observation date: Jun 22, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 27, 2022
Observation date: Jun 18, 2022
Submitted by: tjay13
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Jun 15, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 17, 2022
Observation date: May 24, 2022
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Nye County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 17, 2022
Observation date: Jun 10, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 11, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 03, 2022
Submitted by: dbryant562
Region: Gallatin County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 09, 2022
Observation date: May 22, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 24, 2022
Observation date: May 22, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 24, 2022
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