Gray Comma

Male Dark Form - August 2021

The Gray Comma (Polygonia progne) is an extremely rare and localized brush-footed “anglewing” butterfly with beautiful yellow-orange wings and brown outlining. There are several features that distinguish it from the much more common Question Mark and Eastern Comma!!

The “comma” mark at the center of the ventral hindwing is slimmer than the Eastern Comma’s and it resembles a capitol “L”. Eastern Commas have a bolder and more rounded mark very similar to an upper-case “C”. The underside wings of Gray Commas definitely have gray tones vs the Eastern Comma which is mottled purple and brown or tan. There is also a really cool greenish and black squiggly line along the ventral edges of the wings (more prominently so on the forewing), which is distinct.

Full page coming soon…