If you're a birder, you'll know what a life list is. It's basically a list of all the bird species one has observed and positively ID'd in one's lifetime. This blog is a record of my "critter" life list (mostly of birds), including photos I've taken over the years, some of the actual lifer if I was lucky enough to get the shot. Don't expect National Geographic quality stuff here, just the work of an amateur photog who loves to trudge out into nature.

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Hoary Comma (Polygonia gracilis)

Commas, aka "Anglewings" are named for the distinctive silvery "comma" mark on their below hindwing. Based on my field guides, I narrowed the ID down to either a Satyr Comma (Polygonia satyrus) or a Hoary Comma (P. gracilis), but opted for P. gracilis, which has an orange-yellow submarginal hindwing band and also lacks the black central spot on the hindwing that is found in the Satry. An interesting factoid about Commas, according to the Kaufman Focus Guide Butterflies of North America, is that they prefer "to feed at tree sap, rotting fruit, mud, dung or carrion instead of flowers."

 7/7/16 On wet bank next to Green Creek, Eastern Sierra, Mono County, CA
Well-camouflaged, looking like a dead leaf, when the wings are closed.

 7/7/16 

 7/7/16
7/7/16

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Hoary Comma

SPECIES: Polygonia gracilis

FAMILY: Nymphalidae (Brush-Footed Butterflies)

LIFE LIST DATE: 7/7/2016

LOCATION: Campsite (unmarked-no number) next to Green Creek off Green Creek Road, Toiyabe National Forest, between Bodie and Bridgeport, Eastern Sierra, Mono County, CA
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