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 145 - 168 of 1111 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 30, 2016
Submitted by: johngor
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Sep 03, 2016
Observation date: Aug 02, 2016
Submitted by: digginflowers
Region: Adams County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 05, 2016
Observation date: Aug 04, 2016
Submitted by: pporonto
Region: Macomb County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 04, 2016
Observation date: Jul 19, 2016
Submitted by: monikawood
Region: Steuben County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 19, 2016
Observation date: Jul 02, 2016
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 02, 2016
Observation date: Jun 17, 2016
Submitted by: dhcox57
Region: Madison County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Jun 24, 2016
Observation date: May 20, 2016
Submitted by: JRonan17
Region: Herkimer County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 22, 2016
Observation date: May 02, 2016
Submitted by: Peggy O
Region: Taylor County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: May 09, 2016
Observation date: Sep 15, 2015
Submitted by: sh11
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Apr 28, 2016
Observation date: Jun 30, 2015
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Cook County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Mar 01, 2016
Observation date: Feb 27, 2016
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Leavenworth County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 27, 2016
Observation date: Jun 20, 2015
Submitted by: SkrentnyJeff
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 21, 2016
Observation date: Jul 03, 2015
Submitted by: dpgbfly1
Region: Kanabec County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 28, 2016
Observation date: Jul 12, 2015
Submitted by: jvkopple2
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 24, 2015
Observation date: Jul 09, 2015
Submitted by: jvkopple2
Region: Kalkaska County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 24, 2015
Observation date: Jul 11, 2015
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 20, 2015
Observation date: Jul 11, 2015
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 19, 2015
Observation date: Jun 24, 2015
Submitted by: cblazo
Region: Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 27, 2015
Observation date: Apr 19, 2015
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Apr 25, 2015
Observation date: Apr 04, 2015
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Platte County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig
Verified date: Apr 07, 2015
Observation date: Sep 19, 2014
Submitted by: soluslupus13
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Apr 01, 2015
Observation date: Sep 16, 2014
Submitted by: soluslupus13
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Apr 01, 2015
Observation date: Jul 09, 2014
Submitted by: dpgbfly1
Region: Aitkin County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 28, 2015
Observation date: Sep 29, 2014
Submitted by: jim8435wisc
Region: Lafayette County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Nov 25, 2014
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