Polygonia gracilis zephyrus

Hoary Comma

The hoary comma spends the winters as an adult, as does the satyr comma, so their adult camophlage serves them well. They fly in two broods, using species of Ribes - currents and gooseberries - as their larval food plants. Along the Sugarloaf Trail in Big Bear, these fly alongside satyr commas, which of course use nettles. They can be told apart by looking at the dorsal hind wing: satyr commas have three dark spots where hoary commas have two. The "comma" on the hind wing is also usually different, but this isn't always so clear. The ventral side of the wings tend to be more of a gray color with hoary commas, while the satyr has beiges and browns.