Satyr Comma
Polygonia satyrus (W.H. Edwards, 1869)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Upperside is bright yellow-orange; forewing with two black spots near center of bottom edge; hindwing lacks a dark border, has a black spot in center of wing. Underside is light and dark golden brown, median band relatively straight; hindwing with a silver comma in center.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 2 1/2 inches (4/5 - 6.4 cm).
Life History: In late afternoon, males perch on tree trunks and low vegetation in woodland openings to watch for females. Eggs are laid singly, in stacks, or in groups on the lower side of nettle leaves. Caterpillars eat leaves and make a shelter by pulling down and fastening the edges of a leaf with silk. Adults hibernate.
Flight: Two to three flights on the Pacific Coast from February-November; two flights in Colorado, Nevada, and Saskatchewan from June-September; one flight in remainder of range from July-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various nettles (Urticaceae species).
Adult Food: Tree sap, rotting fruit, flower nectar including that from blackberry and almond.
Habitat: Valley bottoms, along streams, wooded prairie ravines, marshes, openings in riparian woods, fields and edges near moist woods.
Range: Southern Yukon and Northwest Territories south through western Canada and western United States to Baja California, southern Arizona, and southwest New Mexico; east across the Great Lakes states to northern New England and Nova Scotia.
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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 97 - 120 of 1012 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 13, 2023
Submitted by: mattyn
Region: Marin County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 15, 2023
Observation date: Mar 22, 2023
Submitted by: Jurfie
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Apr 15, 2023
Observation date: Jul 15, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 27, 2023
Observation date: Oct 05, 2021
Submitted by: Boba
Region: Juneau, Alaska, United States
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 11, 2023
Observation date: May 23, 2021
Submitted by: DanielS
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 10, 2023
Observation date: Apr 17, 2021
Submitted by: aezoss
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 10, 2023
Observation date: Sep 03, 2021
Submitted by: Carol Boyce
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 07, 2023
Observation date: Aug 08, 2018
Submitted by: EdmMom11
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 07, 2023
Observation date: May 24, 2019
Submitted by: gjyanicki
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 07, 2023
Observation date: Mar 29, 2019
Submitted by: Boba
Region: Alaska, United States
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 07, 2023
Observation date: Aug 14, 2018
Submitted by: JimW59
Region: Alaska, United States
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 07, 2023
Observation date: May 31, 2022
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Feb 03, 2023
Observation date: Apr 20, 2021
Submitted by: dyshah
Region: Washington County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Dec 12, 2022
Observation date: Nov 23, 2022
Submitted by: cjgoin
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 28, 2022
Observation date: Oct 19, 2022
Submitted by: cjgoin
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 21, 2022
Observation date: Aug 04, 2021
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Oct 18, 2022
Observation date: May 26, 2018
Submitted by: J Rachwalski
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 23, 2022
Observation date: Aug 11, 2017
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 23, 2022
Observation date: Sep 18, 2022
Submitted by: cjgoin
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 19, 2022
Observation date: Jun 15, 2019
Submitted by: Reiner Jakubowski
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Jun 07, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Jun 11, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Jun 22, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Aug 13, 2019
Submitted by: Karlissa J
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 14, 2022
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