I too thought it was Eastern Comma Peter. Just catching up on emails
now.... sorry.
Kent
Kent McFarland
Vermont Center for Ecostudies
PO Box 420 • Norwich, VT 05055
802.649.1431
http://www.vtecostudies.org/
Grkovich, Alex wrote:
> *Peter,*
> **
> *Terry's is definitely a Green (faunus). I agree with an earlier
> comment that yours is an Eastern Comma (comma), winter form...*
> *Alex*
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Vermont Butterfly Survey [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On
> Behalf Of *Peter Manship
> *Sent:* Monday, September 22, 2008 7:50 AM
> *To:* [log in to unmask]
> *Subject:* Re: Green or Hoary Comma ID help
>
> Alex,
> You didn't say what your ID choice's are for Terry's Comma or mine
> base on the photos that we posted. I for one would like to hear what
> ID's you came up with and way. I looked at the ventral image that
> Terry posted and the one I posted , the comma on the image I posted
> has more of an L shape to me and is hooked on both ends. Terry's I
> thought appears to have a softer curve with a hooked end more C like
> making Terry's Green Comma ID correct and in fact my Green could be
> anything but a Green. Is that right ? This is all good stuff but is
> very confusing at times. Alex what is your ID opinion of the two Comma
> images we posted? Help out here.
> Peter
> ---- Original Message -----
>
> *From:* Grkovich, Alex <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> *To:* [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> *Sent:* Sunday, September 21, 2008 9:40 PM
> *Subject:* Re: Green or Hoary Comma ID help
>
> Peter,
> Bear in mind that one real good field mark for Hoary (and Gray)
> Comma is in the shape of the "comma mark" on the VHW. In Hoaries
> it is an "L", not a "C" with hooked ends...Well, this is not
> always true in Green females...but is true in males...
> Also, Hoaries are VERY distinctly two-toned below, much darker
> inward and much lighter (gray) outward...
> Alex
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Vermont Butterfly Survey on behalf of Peter Manship
> *Sent:* Sat 9/20/2008 7:37 PM
> *To:* [log in to unmask]
> *Subject:* Re: Green or Hoary Comma ID help
>
> Hi Terry,
>
> What great photos you got, how lucky to have it landing on your
> hand. Just
> like you said I too am finding ID'ing Commas somewhat challenging and
> would welcome others input. I'll leave you with this to think
> about from
> page 183 of Butterflies of the East Coast about IDing the Green Comma
> "Virtually all marking are variable, both geographically and within
> populations" not much help there!
> As for the image of the ventral view that I posted looking through the
> plastic jar lid doesn't show the green color that could be seen on the
> forward wing margins which lead me to the Green Comma ID. But your
> point
> is a good one and it could be a Eastern Comma but I think we'll
> never know
> the answer to that question. The good thing in all this is that
> the next
> time I find one of these Comma's I will look allot harder at the
> marking and
> photograph them well before letting it go. And for what it worth I
> looked at
> your photos and thought Hoary Comma, because of the gray wing
> fringe and the
> ruffled wing shape. The ventral view shows a pattern bellow the
> comma hw
> that I couldn't find on the Green,Gray or Eastern Commas looking in
> Butterflies of the East Coast. All this just adds to the ID dilemma of
> Commas.
>
> Peter Manship
> Ludlow Vt
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Terry L. Rosenmeier" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2008 10:37 AM
> Subject: Re: Green or Hoary Comma ID help
>
>
> > Peter, thank you for posting the question and photos.
> >
> > We were in northern NH earlier this month not that far from
> where you were
> > (Dartmouth College Grant), and we saw lots of commas and
> struggled with
> > the IDs ourselves. We think that we were seeing mostly Green
> Commas, but
> > they didn't look like the one in your photos. We're wondering if
> yours
> > might be an Eastern Comma.
> >
> > The ones we saw had very jagged wing edges, had the innermost
> dot on the
> > upper forewing dot band doubled across the vein , and had bright
> yellow
> > chevrons on the upper forewing, . Most had green markings on the
> > underwings, but that was only visible in good light.
> >
> > I'm attaching photos I took of one that we saw and decided was a
> Green,
> > just in case anybody else wants to weigh in on this. (This guy
> was very
> > friendly and insisted on landing on us, staying on us even as we
> walked!)
> > We're finding that comma ID is not all that straightforward, but
> we enjoy
> > the challenge and welcome further discussion!
> >
> > Terry Rosenmeier
> > Karen Kluge
> > Hanover, NH
> >
> > ========================
> > Can anyone confirm the I.D. of this butterfly (see images) I
> found it
> > yesterday on Big Brook rd in Pittsburg N.H. (I know it's not VT
> but where
> > else can I find the answer?) I think it's a Green Comma and just
> want to
> > make sure.I was going back and forth between Green and Hoary
> Comma. Tails
> > not right for a Gray to me, Gray's tail is much darker and
> fancier alone
> > the
> > edge.
> > Thanks in advance for the help!
> >
> > Also seen up there:
> >
> > Morning Cloak hundreds of them everywhere, over 80 on Big Brook rd
> > alone, this was an amazing site. I think they must have just
> > hatched
> > on Tuesday , they all looked brand new
> >
> > Red Admiral 7
> > Monarch 1
> > Cabbage White 15++
> > Orange Sulfur 3
> >
> > Peter Manship
> > Ludlow Vt
> >
>
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