Gray Comma
Polygonia progne (Cramer, 1775)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside is bright orange-brown; summer form has hindwing with a wide dark border, winter form has the border covering only about 1/4 of the wing; both enclosing a few small yellow spots. Underside is charcoal gray with fine dark striations; forewing with 3-4 light chevrons in a dark border. Silver mark in center of hindwing is small, slender, and L-shaped.
Wing Span: 1 5/8 - 2 /12 inches (4.4 - 6.3 cm).
Life History: In midafternoon, males perch on trees or shrubs at the edges of clearings to wait for females. Eggs are laid singly on leaves of host plants; the caterpillars feed underneath. Adults overwinter.
Flight: Two flights from hibernation, mates, and lays eggs which develop into the summer generation. Summer adults fly from June-August, laying eggs of the winter generation which appears in October and then hibernates.
Caterpillar Hosts: Gooseberries (Ribes) and azalea (Rhododendron).
Adult Food: Sap; rarely flower nectar.
Habitat: Along dirt roads, along streamsides, and within clearings in rich deciduous or confierous woods, in aspen parks, yards, and gardens. Often in hilly terrain or canyons.
Range: Northwest Territories and British Columbia south along Pacific coast to central California, southeast through Montana, Utah, Colorado, and the Dakotas to eastern Nebraska, central Kansas, and central Arkansas; east through southern Canada and the northern United States to Maine and the Maritimes; south in the Appalachians to North Carolina.
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 Gray Comma includes Polygonia oreas and its subspecies silenus and nigrozephyrus. These were previously treated as a separate species.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 193 - 216 of 1111 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 14, 2008
Submitted by: cheins
Region: Douglas County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 26, 2013
Observation date: Jul 09, 2011
Submitted by: Opihi Man
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2
Verified date: Dec 13, 2012
Observation date: Aug 07, 2012
Submitted by: joanne.russo
Region: Windham County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: Kent McFarland
Verified date: Oct 29, 2012
Observation date: Aug 31, 2012
Submitted by: curtis.lehman (Rory Bower)
Region: Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 15, 2012
Observation date: Aug 07, 2012
Submitted by: Janet Tubb
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 06, 2012
Observation date: Jun 12, 2012
Submitted by: sharin
Region: Clarion County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 21, 2012
Observation date: Jul 15, 2012
Submitted by: Peggy O
Region: Taylor County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 18, 2012
Observation date: Jun 15, 2012
Submitted by: curtis.lehman
Region: Potter County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 21, 2012
Observation date: Jun 14, 2012
Submitted by: curtis.lehman
Region: Elk County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 21, 2012
Observation date: Apr 07, 2012
Submitted by: Darrelljn
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 12, 2012
Observation date: May 20, 2012
Submitted by: Steve Craig
Region: Greene County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig
Verified date: Jun 12, 2012
Observation date: Feb 26, 2012
Submitted by: Steve Craig
Region: Stone County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: coreyhusic
Verified date: Mar 31, 2012
Observation date: Jun 03, 2011
Submitted by: Doug Taron
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 26, 2012
Observation date: Jul 28, 2011
Submitted by: Shane Patterson
Region: Monroe County, Iowa, United States
Verified by: Dennis Schlicht
Verified date: Mar 26, 2012
Observation date: Aug 26, 2011
Submitted by: jmiller1688
Region: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 12, 2012
Observation date: Jul 22, 2011
Submitted by: BOGwalker
Region: St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 20, 2012
Observation date: Jul 30, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Ron + Sue Cloutier)
Region: Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 15, 2009
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Bo Zaremba)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 16, 2011
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (T. Gagnon and B. Higgins)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Sep 09, 2011
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tom Gagnon and Geoff LeBaron)
Region: Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 12, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (S.Berk Xerces)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 16, 2011
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (T. Gagnon and B. Higgins)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 17, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Barbara Spencer)
Region: Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Sep 13, 2011
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tom Gagnon)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
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