Zabulon Skipper
Poanes zabulon (Boisduval & Leconte, [1837])
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Male black borders and no stigma. Underside of hindwing is mostly yellow with a dark brown wingbase and outer margin. Female: Upperside is purple-brown with pale yellow spots; underside of hindwing is brown and purple-gray with a white-edged costal margin.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 1 5/8 inches (3.5 - 4.2 cm).
Life History: Males perch in sunlit openings or edges on leaves about 3-5 feet above the ground. They appear to defend their territory and may keep a perch for up to a week. Courtship usually occurs in the afternoon. Females lay eggs singly under the host leaves. Caterpillars feed on leaves and make shelters of silk-tied leaves.
Flight: Two broods from May-September in the north; several broods all year in the tropical highlands.
Caterpillar Hosts: Grasses including lovegrass (Eragrostis), purpletop (Tridens), bluegrass (Poa), wheatgrass (Agropyron), orchardgrass (Dactylis), wildrye (Elymus), and bentgrass (Agrostis).
Adult Food: Nectar from a variety of flowers including the exotics Japanese honeysuckle, red clover, everlasting pea, and selfheal; and the natives blackberry, purple vetch, common milkweed, buttonbush, joe-pye weed, and thistles.
Habitat: Brushy openings near moist forests and streams.
Range: Massachusetts west through southern Michigan to central Kansas; south to central Florida, southern Louisiana, and northeast Texas. Strays to New Mexico, South Dakota, and southern Quebec. A separate population ranges from central Mexico south to Panama.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 2732 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 06, 2026
Submitted by: MegL
Region: Marion County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 09, 2026
Observation date: Aug 04, 2026
Submitted by: starcat
Region: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 05, 2026
Observation date: Aug 03, 2026
Submitted by: MegL
Region: Marion County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 04, 2026
Observation date: Aug 01, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 01, 2026
Observation date: Jul 29, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 30, 2026
Observation date: Jul 26, 2026
Submitted by: jkarthei
Region: Johnson County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 28, 2026
Observation date: Jul 25, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 25, 2026
Observation date: Jul 11, 2026
Submitted by: Kansasbirder
Region: Riley County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 23, 2026
Observation date: Jul 20, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 21, 2026
Observation date: Jul 11, 2026
Submitted by: jkarthei
Region: Morgan County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 14, 2026
Observation date: Apr 24, 2026
Submitted by: debborahm12
Region: Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Jul 09, 2026
Observation date: Apr 24, 2026
Submitted by: debborahm12
Region: Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Jul 08, 2026
Observation date: May 12, 2026
Submitted by: debborahm12
Region: Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Jul 08, 2026
Observation date: Jul 03, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 04, 2026
Observation date: Jun 22, 2026
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: Alex Stach
Verified date: Jun 22, 2026
Observation date: Jun 15, 2026
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Hall County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Jun 22, 2026
Observation date: Jun 16, 2026
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 20, 2026
Observation date: May 14, 2026
Submitted by: LittleWoodSatyr
Region: Defiance County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 19, 2026
Observation date: Jun 15, 2026
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Colbert County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: Alex Stach
Verified date: Jun 17, 2026
Observation date: May 09, 2026
Submitted by: Snellzy
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 16, 2026
Observation date: Jun 01, 2026
Submitted by: melinamtopp
Region: Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 13, 2026
Observation date: Jun 06, 2026
Submitted by: Graycatbird88
Region: Rockland County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 08, 2026
Observation date: May 27, 2026
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 27, 2026
Observation date: May 22, 2026
Submitted by: BirdMan52
Region: Washington County, Rhode Island, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 22, 2026
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