Eastern comma

(Polygonia comma)

Conservation Status

eastern comma

Photo by Greg Johnson

IUCN Red List

not listed

 

NatureServe

N5 - Secure

S5 - Secure

 

Minnesota

not listed

 
     
     
     
Description

Eastern comma is a medium-sized angle-wing butterfly. It has a wingspan of 1¾ to 2½. The first generation each year (winter form) is noticeably darker than the second generation (summer form).

The wings are noticeably angled rather than rounded. The outer margins are jagged and fringed in white. The tip (apex) of the forewing is curved backward (hooked). The hindwing is tailed. The tail of the winter form is long, that of the summer form is short. The trailing edge of the hindwing is noticeably ragged.

The upper side of the forewing is reddish-orange with a broad dark margin band. The marginal band of the winter form is orangish-brown, while that of the summer form may be orangish-brown or black. There is a large black spot on the cell-end bar and 5 smaller black spots in the subapical area. The largest of these 5 spots, the one closest to the trailing edge of the wing, often has a pale black spot immediately above it.

The upper side of the hindwing of the winter form is mostly orangish-brown, while that of the summer form is mostly black. There is a submarginal row of reddish-orange spots, and three medial and one postmedial black or orangish-brown spots. One of the medial spots is on the leading edge if the wing and is usually not visible on perched specimens. The postmedial spot is not visible in the black area of the summer form.

On the male, the underside of both wings is irregularly banded with highly contrasted areas of light and dark grayish-brown and yellowish-brown. On females the banding is less prominent and the wings are more evenly colored. In the center of the hindwing there is a curved, silvery, comma-shaped line that is barbed at both ends.

The eyes are brown.

The caterpillar is variable in color and up to 1½ long. Though fierce looking, they are harmless to the touch. The head has 2 short, dark, spiny projections (scoli) and numerous shorter white spines. The head and thorax are often black, sometimes the same color as the abdomen. The abdomen may be greenish-white, greenish-brown, or black. On pale individuals there is a broad, black, subdorsal stripe and black horizontal and oblique stripes on each abdominal segment. There are often red or orange spots above the spiracles. On the thorax and each abdominal segment there is a long, thick, stiff, branched scolus in the middorsal, subdorsal, supraspiracular, spiracular, and subspiracular regions. The scoli are usually yellow or greenish-white with black tips. The base of the leg-like structure (proleg) on each side of the middle abdominal segments is black or green.

Mature caterpillars are found in June (summer form) and August to September (winter form).

 

Size

Wingspan: 1¾ to 2½

 

Similar Species

Gray comma (Polygonia progne) is heavily striated on the underside of the hindwing and the inner half of the forewing. The comma on the underside of the hindwing is thin and tapered, not barbed, at both ends.

Question mark (Polygonia interrogationis) is usually larger. The forewing apex is more strongly hooked. The trailing edge of the hindwing is more or less straight. The hindwing tail is shorter. The marginal fringe on the summer form is violet, especially on fresh individuals. There is an extra spot on the upper side of the forewing. The curved line on the underside of the hindwing is broken into a line and a dot, resembling a question mark.

Habitat

Open deciduous woodlands and woodland edges, swamps, marshes, streams; usually near water.

Biology

Season

Two broods: early April to mid-May and late June to mid-October.

 

Behavior

The caterpillar feeds at night on the underside of a leaf of a host plant. It creates a protective daytime shelter by folding under the sides of the leaf with silk.

 

Life Cycle

The females lay green eggs singly or stacked in chains or 8 or more on the underside of leaves or the stem of host plants. Winter form females lay eggs in early spring to the end of May. The larvae molt four times in 21 to 23 days before pupating. Winter form adults do not migrate. They overwinter in cold areas by hibernating in a bark crevice, the siding of a house, or other sheltered place. On warm winter days they may be seen flying.

 

Larva Hosts

American stinging nettle, small-spike false nettle, Canadian woodnettle, common hop, and Japanese hop; also elm.

 

Adult Food

Tree sap and rotting fruit.

Distribution

Distribution Map

 

Sources

7, 21, 24, 27, 29, 30, 71, 75, 82, 83.

Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 8/19/2025).

8/19/2025    
     

Occurrence

Common

Taxonomy

Order

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)

Superfamily

Papilionoidea (butterflies)

Family

Nymphalidae (brush-footed butterflies)

Subfamily

Nymphalinae (checkerspots, anglewings, peacocks, and allies)

Tribe

Nymphalini (ladies, anglewings, and allies)

Genus

Polygonia (commas)

   

Subordinate Taxa

 

   

Synonyms

Polygonia dryas

Polygonia harrisoni

Vanessa comma

   

Common Names

eastern comma

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Proleg

A fleshy structure on the abdomen of some insect larvae that functions as a leg, but lacks the five segments of a true insect leg.

 

Pupa

The life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. In caterpillars, the chrysalis.

 

Scolus

A spiny, branched projection from a larval body wall, the branches terminating with a single stiff, hair-like or bristle-like tip.

 

Spiracle

A small opening on the surface of an insect or arachnid through which it breathes.

 

Visitor Photos

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Dan W. Andree

Eastern Comma Butterfly,,,

Here are a couple more photos of the same butterfly. One shows the underwing comma like marking.

eastern comma   eastern comma
     

Zephyr butterfly in my car...

This zephyr butterfly went in my car when I had the doors open to cool it off inside. It stayed in there for a bit until I finally walked around to the driver side and it flew out. Not sure what attracted it to go inside, but it had its proboscis probing on a paper town then the passenger seat area. I use the paper towels to wipe sunscreen off my hands because it smears up LCD's. Maybe it liked the scent of it. Not sure what kind of zephyr it is but it was a nice one.

eastern comma  

eastern comma

Greg Watson

eastern comma

Jennifire4

eastern comma

AKStern

this was by my car when I walked out of the Fridley Home Depot store today.

eastern comma  

eastern comma

Robert Briggs

eastern comma

Picture of an Eastern Comma that I took today in Afton State park.... Kind of surprising - it seems awfully late in the year to be finding butterflies flitting around....

Greg Johnson

eastern comma

Tom Baker

eastern comma   eastern comma
     
eastern comma   eastern comma
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
eastern comma   eastern comma

Summer form

  Summer form
     
eastern comma   eastern comma

Summer form

  Winter form
     
eastern comma   eastern comma

Winter form

  Underside

 

Camera

Slideshows

Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
Andree Reno Sanborn

Polygonia comma (Eastern Comma)
Allen Chartier

Eastern Comma
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

 

slideshow

Visitor Videos

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Other Videos

Eastern Comma Butterfly (Nymphalidae: Polygonia comma) Sunning
Carl Barrentine

About

Uploaded on Sep 11, 2011

Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (11 September 2011).

Eastern Comma (Nymphalidae: Polygonia comma) on Tree
Carl Barrentine

About

Uploaded on May 20, 2011

Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (19 May 2011).

 

Camcorder

Visitor Sightings

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Be sure to include a location.

Dan W. Andree
8/18/2025

Location: MN SNA, Norman Co. Mn.

… seen maybe 3-4 of these smaller ones. They seemed fresher looking and more of a bun shaped rounded top. Nice mushroom.

eastern comma

Greg Watson
4/25/2024

Location: Eagles Bluff Park, La Crescent, MN

eastern comma
Jennifire4
9/18/2018

Location: West Lakeland Township

eastern comma
AKStern
11/3/2016

Location: Fridley, MN

this was by my car when I walked out of the Fridley Home Depot store today.

eastern comma
Robert Briggs
10/22/2016

Location: Afton State Park

Picture of an Eastern Comma that I took today in Afton State park.... Kind of surprising - it seems awfully late in the year to be finding butterflies flitting around....

eastern comma
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

 

 

Binoculars