This butterfly has a wingspan of approximately 2 1/2 inches. The summer form is mostly orange dorsally with scattered dark spots on the forewings and all dark hindwings. The ventral side of the wings of the summer form are a mottled brown. The winter form (seen in fall and spring) is mostly orange dorsally with brown and orange spots and lavendar edgings. The wings of the winter form are a uniform reddish or violet brown color ventrally. The hindwing tails are longer than any other “commas.” On the dorsal side of the hindwing, the silvery “comma” has an offset dot which forms a questionmark. Mature caterpillars are about 1 3/4 inches long. The base color varies from yellow through red and orange to nearly black. They have tiny white dots sprinkled over the body and cream to rusty branched spikes. The head is reddish brown.
In some years the Question Mark is common and can be seen resting on vegetation, mineralizing at mud puddles, drinking sap and eating rotting fruit. In other years it is absent or just a few individuals are seen.
Adults overwinter, hibernating in cracks in trees or logs and reappear in spring. They occasionally can be seen flying on warm winter days. The underside of the wings are well camouflaged to look like dead leaves. The larvae eat the leaves of nettles, hops, elms and hackberries.
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