Oreas Comma
Polygonia oreas (W.H. Edwards, 1869)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside is red-brown with dark, distinct borders and yellow, chevron-shaped submarginal spots. Underside is blackish-gray; silver mark at center of hindwing is L-shaped.
Wing Span: 1 5/8 - 1 7/8 inches (4.2 - 4.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch on shrubs in valley bottoms during the afternoons to wait for females. Eggs are laid singly under host plant leaves; caterpillars eat leaves and rest under them or on stems. Adults hibernate.
Flight: Overwintered adults emerge in May, mate, and lay eggs of the next generation, which flies from June-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Gooseberries (Ribes species); perhaps others.
Adult Food: Tree sap, rotting fruit, rarely flower nectar.
Habitat: Coastal canyons, streamsides, redwood forests.
Range: British Columbia south through eastern Washington and eastern Oregon and along the Pacific Slope to central California; southeast through the northern Rockies to southern Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah.
Conservation: Not thought to be of concern.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Pollinator Week was June 20-26, 2022!
Butterflies and moths are accidental pollinators of many flowering plants. While most species do not have special structures to carry pollen, they do brush against pollen and transfer it to other flowers.
Did you know? The Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas) flies close to the ground and uses its short proboscis to probe flowers of wild strawberry, white sweet clover, and other low-lying plants.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 119 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 02, 1984
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (R. Robertson)
Region: Plumas County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Apr 02, 2010
Observation date: Jun 22, 1986
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro)
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 07, 2010
Observation date: Feb 16, 1974
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Bruce Walsh)
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 07, 2010
Observation date: Apr 13, 1968
Submitted by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 06, 2010
Observation date: Feb 17, 1973
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (B. Walsh, B. Smith)
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 06, 2010
Observation date: Jun 16, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Jeffrey Glassberg)
Region: San Mateo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 05, 2010
Observation date: Jun 20, 1990
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 17, 2009
Observation date: Sep 17, 1932
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Homer Edgecomb)
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 17, 2009
Observation date: Apr 21, 1929
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Chris Henne)
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 17, 2009
Observation date: Sep 16, 1932
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Homer Edgecomb)
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 17, 2009
Observation date: Jul 30, 1990
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 17, 2009
Observation date: Sep 09, 1932
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Homer Edgecomb)
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 17, 2009
Observation date: Sep 16, 1932
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Homer Edgecomb)
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 17, 2009
Observation date: Jun 23, 1990
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (K. Davenport & R. Meyer)
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 17, 2009
Observation date: Oct 08, 1932
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Homer Edgecomb)
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 17, 2009
Observation date: Oct 08, 1932
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Homer Edgecomb)
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 17, 2009
Observation date: Sep 17, 1931
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. W. Tilden)
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Oct 15, 2009
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Lewis County, Washington, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (An Atlas of Washington Butterflies by John Hinchliff)
Verified date: Aug 14, 2008
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Chelan County, Washington, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (An Atlas of Washington Butterflies by John Hinchliff)
Verified date: Aug 14, 2008
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Skamania County, Washington, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (An Atlas of Washington Butterflies by John Hinchliff)
Verified date: Aug 14, 2008
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Pacific County, Washington, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (An Atlas of Washington Butterflies by John Hinchliff)
Verified date: Aug 14, 2008
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Pierce County, Washington, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (An Atlas of Washington Butterflies by John Hinchliff)
Verified date: Aug 14, 2008
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Island County, Washington, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (An Atlas of Washington Butterflies by John Hinchliff)
Verified date: Aug 14, 2008
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Garfield County, Washington, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (An Atlas of Washington Butterflies by John Hinchliff)
Verified date: Aug 14, 2008
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