Gray comma

The gray comma’s range is from the Northwest Territories and British Columbia, southeast through Montana, Utah, Colorado, and the Dakotas to eastern Nebraska, central Kansas, and central Arkansas; east through southern Canada and the northern United States to Maine and the Maritimes; and south in the Appalachians to North Carolina. Within New Jersey, it is localized, known only within a small area of Hunterdon County.

The gray comma habitat is often found along dirt roads, streamsides, and within clearings in rich deciduous or coniferous woods, in aspen parks, yards, and gardens. They are also often found in hilly terrain or canyons.

Caterpillars often feed on gooseberries and azaleas. The adult butterflies of the gray comma feed primarily on sap from trees unlike many other butterfly species. They rarely feed on flower nectar.

The life history of the gray comma is interesting. Like the Eastern comma, the gray comma is bivoltine throughout its range. The second generation over-winters as adults, to fly the following spring, often quite early; there are therefore three flight periods. The very earliest reports are in March, April and May. As Scudder put it, Gray Comma is “one of the first to feel the approach of spring, reappearing on sunny days at the end or even by the middle of March”. Toward the close of April and early in May it flies in considerable numbers and continues upon the wing until early in June, occasionally to the middle. The eggs are laid apparently about the middle of May.

The second or summer generation appears in the first days of July, sometimes as soon as late June. Therefore, they are abundant before during mid-July and continue to be seen until mid-August. It is this July flight that most observers see today.

Gray commas appear again in late August. They become abundant again by early September, and continue to emerge from the chrysalis until mid-September. This fall brood could be seen all through September. By the middle of October nearly all of them have sought their winter quarters beneath a tree-limb or in some sheltered refuge.

The gray comma is considered a globally secure species. Therefore, there are very few management practices specifically addressing this species. However, in some cases declines have been noticed due to habitat loss from logging practices and urbanization.

In 2015, the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Advisory Committee recommended a Threatened status for this species within the state, but no formal rule proposal has been filed to date.