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 25 - 48 of 982 verified sightings
Observation date: May 26, 2024
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 06, 2024
Observation date: May 13, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: White Pine County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 05, 2024
Observation date: May 27, 2024
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 05, 2024
Observation date: Jun 22, 2023
Submitted by: MomoButterfly
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 05, 2024
Observation date: Jun 22, 2023
Submitted by: MomoButterfly
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 05, 2024
Observation date: Jun 01, 2024
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 03, 2024
Observation date: May 20, 2024
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: May 18, 2024
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Catron County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: May 18, 2024
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: May 20, 2024
Observation date: May 14, 2024
Submitted by: shuckabone
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 14, 2024
Observation date: May 04, 2024
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Stillwater County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: May 07, 2024
Observation date: Apr 11, 2024
Submitted by: dfagan746
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 18, 2024
Observation date: Apr 04, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 17, 2024
Observation date: Apr 03, 2024
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 04, 2024
Observation date: Mar 19, 2024
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 23, 2024
Observation date: Mar 18, 2024
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Mar 18, 2024
Observation date: Jul 13, 2023
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Conejos County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jan 05, 2024
Observation date: Aug 27, 2019
Submitted by: Joyce Kozdrowski
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Nov 25, 2023
Observation date: Oct 07, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Oct 25, 2023
Observation date: Sep 03, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Stillwater County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Oct 23, 2023
Observation date: Aug 28, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Oct 23, 2023
Observation date: Oct 05, 2023
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 17, 2023
Observation date: Oct 08, 2023
Submitted by: rajanrao
Region: Alpine County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 16, 2023
Observation date: Aug 17, 2023
Submitted by: Judith Huf
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 28, 2023
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