We think of butterflies as fragile but they endure and often have the scars to prove it. This one is an Eastern Comma, I think. Seventy-six of the 500+ North American butterfly species are in the “True Brushfoots” category. There are several Commas varieties. They are named for a comma shaped mark on the underside of their back wings, not seen in this photograph. It bathed in the sun on my balcony one July afternoon. There is also a Question Mark brushfoot named for the same reason.
While Monarchs have up to four life cycles a year, Commas apparently have only two with the winter “form” seeking a comfy place to over-winter so they can breed in the spring. I believe this one is part of the summer “form” nearing the end of its life because its wings are scarred. Note the wide range of colors of the scales and hairs from purplish browns to green-tinged yellows. This butterfly identification site helped me create this post: www.butterfliesandmoths.org