Asian Comma (Polygonia c-aureum) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The Asian Comma is an East Asian butterfly with ragged orange wings and a small pale C on the underside of each hindwing. The Asian Comma does not live in the wild in the United States; American comma butterflies are close relatives. Adults can survive winter and fly again in spring.

Appearance

Appearance: A medium-sized butterfly, about 2–2.4 in (50–60 mm) across, with ragged, jagged wing edges. The upperside is orange with dark spots; the underside is mottled brown like tree bark, which hides it well at rest.
Seasonal forms: Summer-form adults are lighter with bigger dark spots, while autumn-form adults are darker and redder. Day length and temperature during the caterpillar stage decide which form appears.

Look-alikes

Eastern CommaPolygonia comma

The Eastern Comma lives in eastern North America; the Asian Comma is an East Asian species. A U.S. photo of a wild comma is much more likely to show the Eastern Comma.

Why they get mixed upBoth have jagged orange wings and a pale comma mark below.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Suburbs and towns
Vacant lots
Riverbanks
Woodland edges
Range: Found in Japan, the Korean Peninsula, China, Taiwan, and parts of Southeast Asia. It is not native to North America.
Preferred conditions: In its East Asian range, it is common in open, weedy places where its caterpillar food plant, Japanese hop, grows.

Behavior

Diet: Adults sip flower nectar and also visit tree sap and rotting fruit.
Activity: It has several generations a year through most of its range.
Overwintering: Autumn-form adults pass the winter in a dormant state and mate in spring.

Life cycle

Caterpillar food plants: Caterpillars feed mainly on Japanese hop (Humulus scandens) and build shelters by folding or tying leaves together.

Name and classification

About the name: The Asian Comma has two : lunulata, found only in Taiwan, and c-aureum.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

Culture and stories

Culture and stories: The "comma" mark on the hindwing underside gives this whole group of butterflies their common name in English.

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