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Polygonia c-album
| Size | 44â48 mm wingspan About the width of a 50p coin |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.3 g Virtually weightless |
| Lifespan | 10â11 months (overwinters as adult) |
| Rarity | Common |
| M vs F | Sexes look almost identical; males patrol territories from sunlit perches |
| Habitat | Woodland edges, hedgerows, gardens â wherever nettles, hops or elms grow |
| Best time | MarchâOctober; hibernating adults appear on warm winter days |
| Conservation | UK: Green LC |
Did you know?
The Comma gets its name from the small white comma-shaped mark on its closed underside â when resting with wings closed it looks exactly like a dead, ragged leaf
The Comma gets its name from the small white comma-shaped mark on its closed underside â when resting with wings closed it looks exactly like a dead, ragged leaf
More for experts
The Comma has expanded its UK range northward by over 150 km since the 1970s â one of the clearest documented examples of a species tracking climate warming
Often confused with
Small Tortoiseshell (less ragged edge, orange with blue-spotted border), Fritillaries (checkered pattern)
Small Tortoiseshell (less ragged edge, orange with blue-spotted border), Fritillaries (checkered pattern)