Polygonia faunus
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Polygonia faunus, the green comma, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. Some authors split Polygonia faunus into the above-mentioned subspecies, on the basis of differences in the color of the underside and their distribution. However most authors consider them as regional variants. This species can be found in the boreal North America, from central Alaska south to central California and northern New Mexico. It is also present across the Great Lakes area to New England, the Maritimes and in the southern Appalachians. The green comma mainly occurs in forests, mountain woodlands, near streams and in canyons.
The wingspan of Polygonia faunus can reach about 45–64 mm. These usually uncommon butterflies show extremely ragged wing edges. They are geographically rather variable. The upperside of their wings is reddish brown with wide dark borders. The hindwing border contains a row of yellow spots. The underside of the wings is grey-brown, but... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kluane National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Grand Teton National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Isle Royale National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Banff National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Glacier National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Elk Island National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Denali National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Jasper National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | Riding Mountain National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 10 | Yellowstone National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 11 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Green Comma sighting in Anchorage on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 51st most-seen of the 59 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and July–September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Green Comma in Anchorage on a given day, against under 5% in June and October–April, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Green Comma sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Green Comma sightings, Anchorage has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Edmonton (Canada, about 10%) and Calgary (Canada, under 5%).
Same family: Nymphalidae
The closest relatives of the Green Comma that you can see in Anchorage (family Nymphalidae, Brush-footed Butterflies) are Milbert's Tortoiseshell (about 20%), Mourning Cloak (about 10%) and Red-Spotted Admiral (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Green Comma is recorded against all the insects logged in Anchorage (5 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
