Spotless Anglewing
Common NameSpotless Anglewing
Scientific NamePolygonia gracilis
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilyNymphalinae
Wingspan (mm)50
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsorange, yellow, black
HabitatOpen woodlands, forest edges, clearings, rocky areas
Geographic RangeNorthern North America (Alaska, Canada, northern US states)
Host PlantsRibes spp. (currants, gooseberries), Betula spp. (birches), Salix spp. (willows)
Flight PeriodMay to October (two broods, overwinters as adult)
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesAdults overwinter and emerge in early spring to lay eggs. Caterpillars are spiny and feed on host plants before pupating into a chrysalis, with a second brood emerging later in the summer.
Identification TipsLook for the bright orange-yellow dorsal wings with jagged edges and black spots. The underside is typically mottled brown, resembling a dead leaf, and often lacks the prominent silver 'comma' mark found in other anglewing species, or has a very reduced one.
Description
This butterfly has bright orange-yellow wings with distinctive jagged margins, marked with a few black spots on the forewings and a dark border along the outer edges.
