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 193 - 216 of 1007 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 25, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 26, 2022
Observation date: Mar 19, 2022
Submitted by: Arley
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 20, 2022
Observation date: Mar 18, 2022
Submitted by: Reneerob17
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 19, 2022
Observation date: Mar 03, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 06, 2022
Observation date: Jul 10, 2021
Submitted by: Harry Forbes
Region: Iron County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Dec 17, 2021
Observation date: Sep 03, 2020
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Nov 30, 2021
Observation date: Aug 01, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Sierra County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 16, 2021
Observation date: Sep 05, 2021
Submitted by: mojie
Region: San Juan County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 06, 2021
Observation date: Oct 15, 2021
Submitted by: Joshua C
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 23, 2021
Observation date: Jun 12, 2021
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 23, 2021
Observation date: Sep 15, 2021
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 20, 2021
Observation date: Sep 11, 2021
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 19, 2021
Observation date: Jul 05, 2021
Submitted by: mongoose
Region: Glacier County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 18, 2021
Observation date: Jun 05, 2021
Submitted by: tjay13
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 11, 2021
Observation date: Sep 09, 2020
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 11, 2021
Observation date: Sep 09, 2020
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 10, 2021
Observation date: Jul 05, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 10, 2021
Observation date: Aug 11, 2021
Submitted by: Jon Kindschy
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 10, 2021
Observation date: Jul 27, 2021
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Huerfano County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 01, 2021
Observation date: Aug 28, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 30, 2021
Observation date: Aug 28, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 30, 2021
Observation date: Aug 24, 2021
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 26, 2021
Observation date: Aug 19, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 20, 2021
Observation date: Aug 19, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 20, 2021
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