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Question Mark

Polygonia interrogationis

Adults 7

As an adult butterfly, the question mark seeks out rotting fruit, tree sap, dung, or carrion as food sources. Only when these are unavailable do question marks visit flowers for nectar. This dietary adaptation is especially beneficial to the late spring / overwintering / early spring brood when nectar sources may be limited.

This species has been found in southern Canada and all of the eastern United States except peninsular Florida, west to the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains, south to southern Arizona and Mexico.

Generally speaking, the question mark flies and lays eggs in the spring until the end of May. The summer adults emerge and fly from May–September, laying eggs that develop into the winter form; these adults appear in late August and spend the winter in various shelters.

Distribution 8

Primarily a species of the eastern and central US, reaching southern Canada from Newfoundland to southeastern Saskatchewan (Scott 1986, Layberry et al. 1998). The sole Alberta record is from a specimen collected on 14 May 1978 at Joy Mountain, Blackfoot Hills, 12 mi. SSW of Lloydminster by J. Smith (Kondla 1998).     Blackfoot Hills near Lloydminster (Layberry et al. 1998).

Habitat 9

Comments: A strongly migratory species that may colonize any stand of foodplants. Generally is found near trees. Where it overwinters (mainly south of 40 North) hibernation sites may be completely separate from larval foodplants and appear to be generally dense swamp forests; for example along Delaware Bay and probably throughout the southeastern USA (Schweitzer).

North American ecology (US and Canada) 10

In North America Polygonia interrogationis is a resident of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada (Scott 1986), and is somewhat migratory to western Colorado, Newfoundland and Cuba. Habitats are woodlands and suburbs, from subtropical regions to transition zone. Host plants are usually trees, vines and herbs from closely related families Ulmaceae, Moraceae, and Urticaceae. Eggs are laid on the host plant singly. Individuals overwinter as X. There are variable numbers of flights each year based on latitude; in the north there are two flights occurring June 15-early Aug and late Aug., and in the southern part of the range there are three or four flights occurring May1-June 30, July1-30, and Sept.1-30 (Scott 1986).

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/52450054@N04/17250539661/
  2. (c) John Flannery, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/drphotomoto/3673443371/
  3. (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/52450054@N04/36389207942/
  4. (c) Ronnie Pitman, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/pitmanra/558058771/
  5. (c) pondhawk, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/38686613@N08/4732918616/
  6. (c) Ilona L, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/14379121@N03/11216731076/
  7. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygonia_interrogationis
  8. (c) University of Alberta Museums, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/31888611
  9. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28753215
  10. Adapted by Will Kuhn from a work by (c) Leslie Ries, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/20605126

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