Satyr Angelwing (Comma) butterfly near Vernon, BC.

Likely a satyr angelwing.  Probably not an Eastern angelwing given location (Vernon).

I have never photographed this genus (Polygonia) before, although I think I saw one once while camping out near Nordegg, Alberta.  These brushfooted butterflies appear to have only four legs, as the front pair is highly reduced and vestigial.  Another clear indicator that this is a comma butterfly is the white "comma" shaped mark present on the lower section of the second wing - you can see it in the image above.

I photographed this with my iPhone 15 Pro - it was there only a short while, and I did not have any other photographic equipment with me.  Even so, the iPhone's macro ability is fairly good as long as I don't need to blow the image up too much.  I got very close to the insect; it did not seem to mind my slow and cautious approach.  

I never got a chance to photograph the upper sides of the Lepidopteran, as it rested in the typical butterfly way with its wings closed.  If you want to see one, click here.  The closed wings resemble a dried leaf, which acts as a form of camouflage.  When open, the vibrant orange wings with contrasting black dots are beautiful.  The butterfly itself is towards the medium/large size.  Much larger than a cabbage white and a bit smaller than a monarch.

The caterpillars feed on nettles, that nasty plant that stings you if you happen to brush it the wrong way.  They form protective areas for themselves while eating by wrapping leaves up using silk as a binding agent.  The adults may feed on flower nectar, but will take nutrients from other sources such as tree sap, rotting fruit, or something liquid.  Another odd thing is that the adults don't die off in the winter.  Rather, they tuck themselves away somewhere safe and wait out the cold.  Their bodies produce large amounts of glycol, which prevents freezing.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com