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 409 - 432 of 2719 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 02, 2021
Submitted by: Ashwnota
Region: Washington County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Aug 15, 2021
Submitted by: Kate McCain
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Aug 15, 2021
Submitted by: Kate McCain
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Aug 08, 2021
Submitted by: grayhairstreak
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Aug 17, 2021
Submitted by: Dave Webb
Region: Harford County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Oct 09, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Oct 10, 2021
Observation date: Apr 15, 2019
Submitted by: Debo Boddiford
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Oct 10, 2021
Observation date: Apr 15, 2019
Submitted by: Debo Boddiford
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Oct 10, 2021
Observation date: Sep 11, 2021
Submitted by: L Reid
Region: Cumberland County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 04, 2021
Observation date: Sep 02, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 29, 2021
Observation date: Sep 10, 2021
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Pope County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 22, 2021
Observation date: Sep 01, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Sep 03, 2021
Observation date: Aug 13, 2021
Submitted by: kathybrown
Region: Allen County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Sep 02, 2021
Observation date: Aug 23, 2021
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 23, 2021
Observation date: Aug 19, 2021
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 23, 2021
Observation date: Aug 17, 2021
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Camden County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Eric Wood
Verified date: Aug 23, 2021
Observation date: Aug 15, 2021
Submitted by: lbrichta
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 22, 2021
Observation date: Aug 20, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Jackson County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 21, 2021
Observation date: Aug 15, 2021
Submitted by: Eddie Wyatt
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 16, 2021
Observation date: Aug 15, 2021
Submitted by: Eddie Wyatt
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 16, 2021
Observation date: Aug 14, 2021
Submitted by: Kaytee1047
Region: Rockland County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 15, 2021
Observation date: Aug 13, 2021
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 14, 2021
Observation date: Aug 08, 2021
Submitted by: jhcalladine
Region: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 13, 2021
Observation date: Aug 10, 2021
Submitted by: pkondrashov
Region: Adair County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 11, 2021
- ‹ previous
- 18 of 114
- next ›