(Polygonia gracilis)
True Brushfoots
Appearance: Above, dark red-orange and brown with black spots and bars mainly on forewing. Jagged wing edges marked inward by row of indistinct yellow spots. Underside overall gray with inner portions darker and white comma at the edge of the darker portion on hindwing.
Wingspan: Medium; 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 inches.
Habitat: Conifer or mixed woods often near streams, prairies, meadows; plains, foothills, montane, alpine.
Flight Times: Adults overwinter, emerge in spring to mate and lay eggs until June. The new generation emerges in July, flies until September, and then overwinters as an adult.
Larval Foodplant: Currants and gooseberries.
Did You Know…
The generic name, Polygonia, refers to the “many angled” trailing edge of both wings, and the common name, Hoary, refers to the whitish-gray color on the outer portions of the hindwings below.
