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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies (excluding skippers) (Papilionoidea) » Brushfooted Butterflies (Nymphalidae) » Crescents, Checkerspots, Anglewings, etc. (Nymphalinae) » Commas, Question Mark (Polygonia) » Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma)
Photo#316655
Eastern Comma - Polygonia comma
Copyright © 2009 Rich Kelly

Eastern Comma - Polygonia comma
Hurd Corners, Dutchess County, New York, USA
August 6, 2009
August for New York.
In the field I called this an Eastern Comma. Upon looking closely at the photo, I believe that this is a Question Mark. A hint of the bar/4th spot can be seen on both wings. I also considered the shape of the apex, the trailing edge of the hindwing, and the extra spot above the innermost big spot on the forewing. Not seen below.
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Contributed by Rich Kelly on 7 August, 2009 - 9:32am
Last updated 28 September, 2009 - 1:27pm

Your first instinct was correct
It is a Comma - Polygonia comma. The dark bar you refer to may show as a faint "smudge" on a Comma, but on a Question Mark it is always well-developed and obvious. Also, the wing shape of the two is different. And while not evident in a photo, Commas are nearly always the smaller of the two.

Moved from Question Mark.
… David J. Ferguson, 28 September, 2009 - 12:53pm login or register to post comments

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