Question mark butterfly
Polygonia interrogationis
Butterfly
Ragged-edged orange anglewing named for the small silver question-mark shape on the underside of the hindwing. Caterpillars use a mixed host palette that includes elms, hackberries, hops, nettles, false nettle, and clearweed; adults behave more like woodland sap-feeders than flower specialists, visiting tree sap, rotting fruit, carrion, and dung before turning to nectar. The winter-form adults shelter through cold weather, making them one of the early butterflies on warm spring days.
Conservation
Globally secure (NatureServe G5) and assessed Least Concern by the IUCN; not a US-listed species. The useful garden action is to keep host trees and weedy-edge larval hosts available, plus tolerate sap/fruit-feeding habitat rather than treating the species as a nectar-border-only butterfly.
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.
3 essential relationships / 0 supporting plants
Host/specialist links: 3
Forage/pollination links: 0
Shelter links: 0
Relationship roles: 1
American elm
Essential / Larval host plants
American elm is listed among the question mark butterfly larval hosts; DED-tolerant elm plantings can therefore support this woodland anglewing as well as eastern comma and mourning cloak.
Common hackberry
Essential / Larval host plants
BAMONA and the species literature list hackberries (Celtis) among question mark butterfly larval hosts; common hackberry is the catalog Celtis anchor for this documented genus-level relationship.
Common hops
Essential / Larval host plants
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center names Question Mark among the butterflies that use common hops as a larval host; the wildlife record now carries the matching host-plant source trail.
Plants in the catalog
Larval host plants · 3
American elm is listed among the question mark butterfly larval hosts; DED-tolerant elm plantings can therefore support this woodland anglewing as well as eastern comma and mourning cloak.
BAMONA and the species literature list hackberries (Celtis) among question mark butterfly larval hosts; common hackberry is the catalog Celtis anchor for this documented genus-level relationship.
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center names Question Mark among the butterflies that use common hops as a larval host; the wildlife record now carries the matching host-plant source trail.
Range
Southern Canada and the eastern United States west to the eastern Rocky Mountains, with southern records into Arizona and Mexico; migratory and multi-brooded in much of the range.
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.). Question mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis). Retrieved 2026, August 20, from https://plotwright.com/wildlife/question-mark-butterfly
Sources used for this record
This record is compiled from the sources below.
Butterflies and Moths of North America: Question mark
Species profile for host plants, adult food sources, range, and overwintering behavior.
MDC Field Guide: Question mark
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 interrogationis
Corroborating reference for the host list, adult sap/fruit/dung/carrion feeding, IUCN/NatureServe status, and range summary.
GBIF: Polygonia interrogationis
GBIF backbone key 5129451 is the accepted Nymphalidae species Polygonia interrogationis, an exact match.
iNaturalist: Polygonia interrogationis
iNaturalist taxon 58579 is the species Polygonia interrogationis, the question mark.