''Polygonia progne'', the gray comma or grey comma, is a species of ''
Polygonia
''Polygonia'' (from Greek language, Greek πολύς - ''polys'', "many" and γωνία - ''gōnia'', "angle") is a genus of butterflies with a conspicuous white mark on the underside of each hindwing, hence the common name comma. They also have ...
'' that occurs in North America.
Description
Its wingspan is between 4.4 and 6.3 cm. The top of the wings is bright orange brown while the summer forms often have a dark border on the hindwing. Both winter and summer forms have few yellow spots on their wing borders. The underside of the wings have L-shaped silver markings and are charcoal gray.
Habitat
They can often be found around dirt roads and stream beds. Most often they are found in hilly terrain or canyon lands.
Life cycle
The adults are on wing two times a year, once in April and May and another in June and August. During the first flight the adults mate and lay eggs. These eggs will hatch and become the summer generation. The summer generation's eggs will hatch in October and hibernate.
Larval foods
*
Gooseberry
Gooseberry ( or (American and northern British) or (southern British)) is a common name for many species of ''Ribes'' (which also includes currants), as well as a large number of plants of similar appearance. The berries of those in the genu ...
*
Azalea
Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the genus ''Rhododendron'', particularly the former sections ''Tsutsusi'' (evergreen) and '' Pentanthera'' (deciduous). Azaleas bloom in the spring (April and May in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, and Octob ...
Adult foods
*
Plant sap
Sap is a fluid transported in xylem cells (vessel elements or tracheids) or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant. These cells transport water and nutrients throughout the plant.
Sap is distinct from latex, resin, or cell sap; it is a sepa ...
* Rarely flower
nectar
Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...
References
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External links
Grey comma Butterflies of Canada
Butterflies of North America
Nymphalini
Taxa named by Pieter Cramer
Butterflies described in 1775
{{Nymphalinae-stub