North American Ecology (US and Canada)

Polygonia gracilis is resident across Canada and the western United states from Alaska to California and east to Texas/Wyoming, with two separate populations in North and South Dakota (Scott 1986). Habitats are Canadian to Hudsonian zone taiga in the north, and transition to Hudsonian zone valleys in the southern part of the range. Host plants are shrubs and include many species but mostly in two families, Grossulariaceae and Ericaceae. Eggs are laid on leaves of the host plant. Individuals overwinter as adults. There is a variable number of flights based on latitude, in the northern part of the range there is one flight that occurs Aug.1-30 and in the southern part of their range and lower mountains there are two flights occurring late June-early Aug. and at the end of Aug.; in lowland California there may be three flights (Scott 1986).