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.
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 289 - 312 of 2718 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 03, 2022
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 03, 2022
Observation date: Jul 30, 2022
Submitted by: amparrish15
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
Observation date: Jul 23, 2022
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Pope County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 25, 2022
Observation date: Aug 05, 2019
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 12, 2022
Observation date: Jul 10, 2022
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 11, 2022
Observation date: Jun 28, 2022
Submitted by: ydlrun
Region: Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 05, 2022
Observation date: Jun 30, 2022
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 01, 2022
Observation date: Aug 07, 2021
Submitted by: WhitePine
Region: Loudoun County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 28, 2022
Observation date: May 17, 2021
Submitted by: Zillacop
Region: Albemarle County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 28, 2022
Observation date: May 31, 2021
Submitted by: chherrmann
Region: Prince William County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 28, 2022
Observation date: Jun 16, 2021
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 28, 2022
Observation date: May 15, 2022
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 27, 2022
Observation date: May 18, 2022
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Hopewell, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 27, 2022
Observation date: May 19, 2022
Submitted by: c4c
Region: Salem, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 27, 2022
Observation date: Aug 13, 2021
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 25, 2022
Observation date: May 15, 2021
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 24, 2022
Observation date: May 23, 2021
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 24, 2022
Observation date: Jun 10, 2022
Submitted by: StevebrownLepid
Region: Lynchburg, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 24, 2022
Observation date: Jul 31, 2021
Submitted by: mysorekid
Region: St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 24, 2022
Observation date: Jun 18, 2022
Submitted by: Ohio97
Region: Warren County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Jun 23, 2022
Observation date: Sep 30, 2021
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jun 22, 2022
Observation date: May 25, 2021
Submitted by: Pondboy
Region: Marion County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: May 30, 2021
Submitted by: mysorekid
Region: St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Aug 03, 2021
Submitted by: sam_hartzler
Region: Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
- ‹ previous
- 13 of 114
- next ›