Question Mark
Image: Miami U. Libraries - Digital Collections (No restrictions)
Common NameQuestion Mark
Scientific NamePolygonia interrogationis
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilyNymphalinae
Wingspan (mm)65
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsorange, black, blue
HabitatWoodlands, forest edges, parks, suburban areas
Geographic RangeEastern North America
Host PlantsHackberry, Elm, Hops, Stinging Nettle
Flight PeriodMarch to November
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly or in small stacks on host plant leaves. Larvae are spiny and feed on foliage. Pupae are camouflaged, resembling a dead leaf or twig. Adults can overwinter.
Identification TipsKey features include the deeply scalloped and jagged wing edges, the orange and black mottled upperside, and the distinctive silver 'question mark' (a C-shape with a dot) on the underside of the hindwing.
Description
A medium-sized butterfly with distinctively jagged wing margins, featuring an upperside pattern of bright orange and black spots, often with a row of blue spots along the hindwing margin.
