Comma

Polygonia c-album (Linnaeus, 1758)

Status

Description

A golden-brown butterfly with a very distractive crinkly edge to the edge of the wing. The only butterfly which it can be confused with is P. egea which is very similar. The main distinguishing features on the upperside are that the black markings are larger, and on the underside the silvery mark on the middle of the hindwing is C-shaped rather than L-shaped.

Habitat Requirements

Like the Brimstone, the infrequent encounters with this species make it very difficult to say anything definitive about its habitat preferences.

Larval Foodplants

Hazel Corylus avellana, Common Nettle Urtica dioica, White Willow Salix alba, Hop Humulus lupulus, Wych Elm Ulmus glabra, Small-leaved Elm Ulmus minor, Eastern Pellitory-of-the-wall Parietaria officinalis.

Observations

Very rarely encountered in Corfu but apparently widely distributed.

*The information provided in the tables below is based on verified sightings of the Comma submitted via this website since 1st January 2021.

First and Last Sightings

Year First Last/latest # Days
2023 23/04/2023 13/08/2023 112 days
2022 20/03/2022 14/07/2022 116 days
2021 31/05/2021 31/05/2021 0 days

Number of Observations

Year Number of observations
2023 8
2022 12
2021 1
Grand Total 21

Distribution Map

Distribution maps for this species are currently unavailable.

Flight Times for the Comma (2023)

The chart below shows flight data by month for 2023

Flight Times for the Comma (All Data)

The chart below shows flight data by month since 1st January 2021

Taxonomy

  • Vernacular/Common Name: Comma
  • Family: Nymphalidae (Rafinesque, 1815)
  • Sub-family: Nymphalinae (Rafinesque, 1815)
  • Tribe: Nymphalini (Rafinesque, 1815)
  • Genus: Polygonia (Hübner, 1819)
  • Species: c-album (Linnaeus, 1758)

References

For a list of references, please see our bibliography page.