Eastern Comma Butterfly ( Pupa )

Description:

Family: Nymphalidae. Small, with short hindwing projections. Hindwing, with a central silver or white comma, which is swollen at both ends. Wingspan: one and three fourths inches, to, two and one half inches. Eggs are laid singly or in stacks, under host plant leaves or stems. Caterpillars, are usually solitary, and feed on leaves at night. Older caterpillars, make daytime shelters, by pulling leaf edges together, with silk. Caterpillar host plants: all members of the elm and nettle families, including: American elm, hops, nettle, false nettle, and wood nettle. This butterfly seldom visits flowers, but rather feeds on, rotting fruit, salts and minerals from puddling, and dung. The spring larva, varies in color, from pale green to yellow to white, and even to black. The chrysalis is brown, and is covered with spines. The actual butterflies of this species, are characterized by there small to medium-sized and irregularly notched anglewings, the concave curvature and deeply indented outer margin of the forewing, and the tail like extensions, on the hindwing. The color of this pupa, was different shades of brown. This pupa, was five eights of an inch long. There were also, some gold and silver specks on this pupa. There were also, some areas of gold and silver color, on this pupa. This pupa, was also covered with spines. There were two horns, at the head end, of this pupa.

Habitat:

The Eastern Comma, may be spotted in woods, near rivers, ponds, marshes, swamps, and other water sources. Deciduous woodlands, woods near rivers, marshes, swamps, and other water sources.

Notes:

A friend of mine, sent me two, Eastern Comma pupae, from Tennessee. I then put these two pupae, into a plastic container. I will then wait, until they both eclose. The color of this pupa, was different shades of brown. This pupa, was five eights of an inch long. There were also, some gold and silver specks, on this pupa. There were also, some areas of gold and silver color, on this pupa. This pupa, was also covered with spines. There were two horns, at the head end, of this pupa.