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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae) » Crescents, Checkerspots, Anglewings, etc. (Nymphalinae) » Nymphalini » Commas, Question Mark (Polygonia) » Question Mark - Hodges#4420 (Polygonia interrogationis)

Species Polygonia interrogationis - Question Mark - Hodges#4420

Classification · Hodges Number · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Question mark - Polygonia interrogationis

Spiky caterpillar - Polygonia interrogationis

Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis) Butterfly - Polygonia interrogationis

Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis) - Polygonia interrogationis

One of the commas? - Polygonia interrogationis

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)

Family Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)

Subfamily Nymphalinae (Crescents, Checkerspots, Anglewings, etc.)

Tribe Nymphalini

Genus Polygonia (Commas, Question Mark)

Species interrogationis (Question Mark - Hodges#4420)

Hodges Number

4420

Explanation of Names

Polygonia interrogationis (Fabricius, 1798)

Common name refers to diagnostic mark on underside of hindwing.

interrogationis likely refers to interrogation or questioning, for the same character.

Numbers

One of about nine Nearctic species in the genus.

Size

58-76mm (1)

Identification

Caterpillar: variable coloration. Body and spines yellow to black. Eight silver spots on back. (1)

Adult: underside of hindwing has unique silver "question mark" shape. Upper forewing has extra black dash not in the similar Eastern Comma. (2) Upper hindwing of summer form is mostly black with short tails; winter form is orange/black with longer violet tipped tails. (1) Wing are very angular in outline.

Range

e US to AZ / Cuba - Map (MPG)(1)

Habitat

Wooded areas: rivers, swamps, parks. (1)

Season

mostly: Mar-Oct (MPG)

Food

Adults take fluids from soil, rotting fruit, feces, carrion. Seldom, if ever, take nectar. Caterpillars feed on nettle, false nettle, elms, hackberry, Japanese hops (1).

Life Cycle

Winter form adults overwinter. (1)

See Also

Comma (left); Question Mark (right):

Print References

Opler, pp. 261-262 & plates 4, 22 (1)

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group - MPG

[http://butterfliesofamerica.com/t/Polygonia_interrogationis_a.htm]Butterflies of America[/url] - BOA

Butterflies and Moths of North America - BAMONA

Butterflies of Dallas County, Texas - Dale Clark

Works Cited

1.	A Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) Paul A. Opler, Vichai Malikul, Roger Tory Peterson. 1992. Houghton Mifflin Company.

2.	Eastern Comma

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by Mike Boone, cotinis, Hannah Nendick-Mason, Steve Nanz, Stephen_WV, Mike Quinn, Maury Heiman, David Ferguson
Last updated 2 July, 2017 - 7:05am

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