Eastern comma
Polygonia comma
Butterfly
Common anglewing butterfly of eastern North America whose ragged-edged wings and silvery comma-shaped hindwing mark make it cryptic against bark when perched. Larvae feed on plants in the hemp and elm families and on nettles - most often hops (Humulus lupulus) and nettle (Urtica, Boehmeria, Laportea), with American elm (Ulmus), basswood (Tilia), and occasionally hackberry (Celtis) also recorded. Adults rarely visit flowers, instead feeding on tree sap, rotting fruit, and dung; winter-form adults hibernate as adults and are among the first butterflies seen on warm late-winter days. The hops association earned it the old common name 'hop merchant.'
Conservation
Common and widespread; NatureServe global status Secure (G5). Not assessed by the IUCN Red List and not on the Xerces Society Red List. No formal conservation concern - supporting it is about garden habitat value rather than recovery.
Plan for this species
Location-fit plant set for Chicago, IL: host and specialist plants first, then nectar, fruit, seed, foliage, and shelter plants that still fit the current and mid-century climate read.
4 essential relationships / 0 supporting plants
Host/specialist links: 4
Forage/pollination links: 0
Shelter links: 0
Relationship roles: 1
American basswood
Essential / Larval host plants
Eastern comma host palettes include basswood (Tilia); American basswood is the native Tilia anchor in the catalog, so this row makes the existing wildlife record visible from the plant page.
American elm
Essential / Larval host plants
American elm is a documented larval host for the eastern comma butterfly; its caterpillars feed on the foliage, making even a single elm a real breeding resource for the species across the eastern range.
Common hops
Essential / Larval host plants
Common hackberry
Essential / Larval host plants
Plants in the catalog
Larval host plants · 4
Eastern comma host palettes include basswood (Tilia); American basswood is the native Tilia anchor in the catalog, so this row makes the existing wildlife record visible from the plant page.
American elm is a documented larval host for the eastern comma butterfly; its caterpillars feed on the foliage, making even a single elm a real breeding resource for the species across the eastern range.
Range
Eastern and central North America east of the Rocky Mountains, from southern Canada south to central Texas, the Gulf Coast, and northern Florida.
Sources & citations
Cite this page
Use this citation for the Plotwright wildlife record. Use the source cards below to explore the references that informed its taxonomy, range, conservation, host plants, foraging, and habitat.
Plotwright. (n.d.). Eastern comma (Polygonia comma). Retrieved 2026, August 20, from https://plotwright.com/wildlife/eastern-comma
Sources used for this record
This record is compiled from the sources below.
BAMONA: Eastern comma
Species profile for range, overwintering behavior, host plants, and adult sap/fruit feeding.
MDC Field Guide: Eastern comma
State agency species account used for identification detail, larval and adult food, and life-cycle timing. Missouri-scoped, so it is not cited for continental range.
Wikipedia: Polygonia comma
Corroborating reference for host palette, adult feeding, range, and secure conservation context.
GBIF: Polygonia comma
GBIF backbone key 5129430 is the accepted Nymphalidae species Polygonia comma, an exact match.
iNaturalist: Polygonia comma
iNaturalist taxon 54064 is the species Polygonia comma, the eastern comma.