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Commas, Question Mark (Polygonia)
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Question Mark - Hodges#4420 (Polygonia interrogationis)
Photo#715836
Copyright © 2012
Maria de Bruyn
Question mark -
Polygonia interrogationis
Chapel Hill, Orange County, North Carolina, USA
October 17, 2012
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Contributed by
Maria de Bruyn
on 19 October, 2012 - 4:43pm
Last updated 10 November, 2012 - 8:17am
Moved
Moved from
Butterflies (excluding skippers)
.
…
David J. Ferguson
, 10 November, 2012 - 4:18am
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Moved
Moved from
ID Request
.
…
john and jane balaban
, 5 November, 2012 - 8:46am
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I unlinked your two pictures
They aren't the same individual. In fact, the other is a Comma butterfly -
Polygonia comma
.
…
David J. Ferguson
, 19 October, 2012 - 7:00pm
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Question mark and comma
Oh, I'm having trouble telling them apart.
…
Maria de Bruyn
, 19 October, 2012 - 7:28pm
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They are very similar, but the patterns are different
On the Comma, the size is a tad smaller, there is one less prominent rounded dark spot toward the end of the front wing in the top side, and usually the "comma mark" on the under hind wing is not broken. The wings tend to be a bit more irregular (or "ragged" looking) along the outer margin, and the banding on the under side is more irregular.
The Question mark is larger, usually a little "smoother" looking because the markings below tend to be less irregular, as does the outer wing margin. The largest point that sticks out from the front wing is usually noticeably longer. The "comma mark" is usually broken and so very like a "question mark" in shape.
Something that doesn't help is how bold the markings are below, nor how black the hind wings are above. There are light and dark seasonal forms of both species. The pattern on the underside can be fairly contrasting and bold; or, it can be nearly even and plain (usually the plain ones are female in the Comma, but they can be male or female in the Question Mark). I think this one is male, but I'm not certain.
In areas where there are three or four species of
Polygonia
it gets more complicated, but all the others are more like the Comma than like the Question Mark.
…
David J. Ferguson
, 23 October, 2012 - 12:54pm
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Comma and question mark
Thank you. I've been going through my various photos and think I have them all ID'd correctly now. I do have some of a comma that is lighter in color than this one.
…
Maria de Bruyn
, 23 October, 2012 - 4:46pm
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