Oreas Comma
Polygonia oreas
Oreas Comma ranges along north and west coastal areas from near Marina to the Carmel River mouth, with small colonies apparently concentrated in riparian canyons along the lower Carmel River. Though numbers are never abundant, it's generally found annually on the Monterey Butterfly count in early June.
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Adults overwinter, and sometimes fly on warm winter days. After mating in spring, worn adults may linger into summer, while the next generation emerges in May-June and flies at least into late summer-fall. Do these summer-fall adults then have another brood, as does Satryr Comma, or do they overwinter into the following spring? We don't know.
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Hopefully year-long surveys of Hatton Canyon will answer that question. Observations of egg-laying in the fall, or emergence of fresh adults, would be evidence of two annual broods, rather than one.
Surveys
Survey Results
none recent
Recommended sites
Hatton Canyon: walk below Carmel River Road overpass into the canyon, and survey the first mile
Carmel River Trail: explore the area just west of Dampierre Park on both sides of the river.