Question Mark

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The question mark is named for the shape of the small silver mark on the lower side of the hindwings. It flies in Missouri April to November.

Donna Brunet

Other Common Name:

Violet Tip

Family:

Nymphalidae (brushfooted butterflies)

Description:

Adults: The three Missouri anglewings with irregular wing margins are most easily identified by the small silvery “punctuation marks” on the lower surface of the hindwing. The question mark is the only species with a dot next to the curved line. The upper side of the wings is orange with black markings. Note the row of three black spots on the forewing with a black line (like a hyphen) over the spot closest to the wingtip; the line is missing on the eastern and gray commas (P. comma and P. progne). The summer brood has the top side of the hindwing almost completely dark, while the overwintering fall brood has an orange hindwing, brighter markings, and violet-gray tails. Because the margin of the wings sometimes looks purplish, another common name is “violet tip.”

Larvae are spiny and yellowish to reddish brown with dark and light markings; the head has one pair of spines.

Size:

Wingspan: 2–2½ inches.

Question Mark Butterfly

Orange butterfly with black spots sitting on a branch of green leaves

Question Mark Butterfly in Green Park, MO

The upper side of a question mark’s wings is orangish with black markings. Note the row of three black spots on the forewing with a black line (like a hyphen) over the spot closest to the wingtip; the line is missing on the eastern and gray commas.

User submitted photo

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Question mark, perched, showing underside of wings

Question Mark Underside

The three Missouri anglewings with irregular wing margins are most easily identified by the small silvery “punctuation marks” on the lower surface of the hindwing. The question mark is the only species with a dot next to the curved line.

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Question mark butterfly with wings spread, showing dorsal surface

Question Mark Wings Spread

Because the margins of the question mark’s wings sometimes look purplish, another common name for this butterfly is “violet tip.”

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Question Mark Caterpillar

Question mark caterpillars are spiny and yellowish to reddish brown with dark and light markings; the head has one pair of spines. Host plants include species of elm, hackberry, and nettles.

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Three question mark butterfly chrysalides attached to a leaf

Question Mark Chrysalides

Question mark chrysalides are attached to a leaf at the abdomen tip with silk threads. Note the silver spots amid the overall drab coloration.

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Question Mark Chrysalis

The question mark is common breeding resident throughout Missouri. The winged adults, not the eggs, caterpillars, or chrysalides, are the stage that overwinters.

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Question mark butterfly, wings closed, with back portion of hindwings torn off

Question Mark, Damaged Hindwings

The question mark has a well-camouflaged underside, helping to conceal it from predators — but this individual apparently had a narrow miss. Note the damage to the hindwings! The hindwing tails must have led a predator to think they were antennae, causing it to aim at the wrong end of the body and saving the butterfly’s life.

Habitat and conservation:

Found in forests, roadsides, parks, and residential areas. Look for them taking moisture from mud puddles, damp creek beds, and lake shores. Males perch on tree trunks to search for females late in the afternoon. They fly at passing butterflies, other insects, and even birds, generally returning to the tree trunk or a nearby perch. They may be pursuing territorial intruders or simply getting close enough to determine whether or not it is a female question mark.

Foods:

Host plants for the larvae include species of elm, hackberry, and nettles. The adults rarely visit flowers, but they absorb moisture and nutrients from damp soil, decaying fruits, feces, and carrion.

Distribution in Missouri:

Statewide.

Status:

Breeding resident.

Life cycle:

Adults fly from April into November. The fall brood hibernates, and the overwintering adults may fly on any warm winter day.

Human connections:

Charles Darwin wrote about the survival value of animal camouflage in the middle 1800s, but camouflage wasn’t widely used for military purposes until a French Cubist painter, André Mare, developed it to hide artillery in World War I. Now, people study nature expressly for ideas for new technology.

Ecosystem connections:

The caterpillars are herbivores that graze on vegetation. Their spines help ward off potential predators. This butterfly, like many of its relatives, has a well-camouflaged underside, plus a habit of resting that shows only the underside. This helps conceal it from predators.