A Southern Comma
There’s a butterfly in front of me and I know what it is: it’s a Comma. I’ve seen it before, slurping on rotting Sloes in the UK:
It has a distinctive outline to its wings and, when you look at the underside, there’s the small white comma-shaped mark which gives it its name.
This one just doesn’t look right though. I’m in Italy and everything I think is normal is subtly different. It’s far too light coloured:
Apparently it’s a Southern Comma, Polygonia egea and not the Comma I’ve seen in the UK, which is Polygonia c-album.
It loves these nectar-rich Valerian flowers:
What a beautiful and fascinating insect to watch.