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The Eastern Comma has perfect camouflage with its closed, leaf-shaped wings. Its wing span ranges from 3.7 to 6.4 cm. It is frequently confused with the Question Mark. The upperside is brownish-orange with dark spots. The summer colouring of the hindwing is mostly black; the winter form is orange with black spots. The underside is brown and has a white ‘comma’ marking near the center. They have irregularly notched anglewings with a leaf-like colour pattern on the underside help to disguise them from predators.
In the Algonquin Highlands you might find the aggressive males chasing other insects, and sometimes birds from their territory. They fly in moist woodlands, near rivers, marshes, and in clearings, from April to mid-October.
Females lay pale green eggs singly or in stacks on the underside of Elm and Nettle plant leaves or stems. There are two broods per year. Caterpillars are greenish-white or greenish-brown with rows of yellow or white spines running down its body. They feed on leaves at night. Older caterpillars make daytime shelters by pulling leaf edges together with silk. Because of the silk they create, they have become a favourite of collectors.
Adult forms feed on rotting fruit and tree sap. The winter form adults will hibernate.
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EASTERN COMMA
Polygonia comma
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