Question Mark butterfly

Butterscotch Autumn

Oh the beauty of this season, slowly slipping away. Leaves drifting to the ground becoming leaf litter.

And leaf litter becomes a winter home for many insects, including moths and butterflies. The Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thybe) is a moth that seeks shelter in leaf litter during the winter as a pupa. Butterflies include Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), which also overwinters as a pupa. Other butterflies that use leaf litter as their winter homes are the Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis), and the Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) both of which spend the winter in the adult stage.

These just a very small number of insects that seek shelter in leaf litter during the cold of winter. Leave that leaf litter, and the insects that are in their late autumn and winter homes, waiting for spring.

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Punctuation On The Trail

With wings up, in the ventral position, the Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis) proudly shows off why it is referred to as Question Mark. The striking white curve and dot. A question mark. Well, on this side, a question mark in reverse.

Here the same butterfly demonstrates the wings fully open, in the dorsal position.

Found in much of the eastern US and southern Canada. One of several species of butterflies that overwinter as an adult. There are a number of plants or trees that are used as hosts including American Elm, Winged Elm, Hackberry or Sugarberry, and False Nettle or Stinging Nettle.

Put a bit of fruit on your back porch and you may entice a Question Mark to come nibbling. Though they seldom go to flowers, they will feed on fermenting fruit, tree sap, dung, and carrion.

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Winter Butterfly

While many butterflies here in Virginia will migrate to warmer climates to survive the winter, others will stay put and survive as eggs, larvae, or chrysalides.

Still others will overwinter as adults. They will find a crack in a boulder, under a piece of bark on a tree, or even wedge behind a shingle on a house to spend the cold winter. During sunny warm winter days they’ll come out to enjoy that warmth.

This is one of those that overwinter as an adult. Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis). So, if you’re out roaming on a warm winter day and see a Question Mark butterfly, you’ll know what’s going on. It’s just out enjoying the warm day, like you!

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