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 481 - 504 of 2721 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 08, 2018
Submitted by: Ronald van Oosteroom
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 22, 2021
Observation date: Aug 06, 2010
Submitted by: Wade Wander
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Jack Connor
Verified date: Feb 16, 2021
Observation date: Aug 23, 2013
Submitted by: tirvine2020
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 11, 2021
Observation date: Oct 04, 2016
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 10, 2021
Observation date: Apr 30, 2017
Submitted by: Irvine
Region: Henrico County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 10, 2021
Observation date: Apr 30, 2017
Submitted by: Irvine
Region: Henrico County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 10, 2021
Observation date: Jul 18, 2017
Submitted by: SBurton
Region: Northampton County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 09, 2021
Observation date: Jul 25, 2017
Submitted by: Jim_Gant777
Region: Prince William County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 09, 2021
Observation date: Jul 25, 2017
Submitted by: Jim_Gant777
Region: Prince William County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 09, 2021
Observation date: Aug 03, 2017
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 09, 2021
Observation date: Aug 06, 2017
Submitted by: K Stilwell
Region: Tazewell County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 09, 2021
Observation date: Jul 31, 2018
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 09, 2021
Observation date: Aug 11, 2017
Submitted by: gbabineau
Region: Albemarle County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 08, 2021
Observation date: Aug 14, 2020
Submitted by: CincyJeff
Region: Scioto County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Jan 07, 2021
Observation date: May 30, 2018
Submitted by: LivObs
Region: Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 06, 2021
Observation date: Aug 30, 2018
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 05, 2021
Observation date: Aug 16, 2019
Submitted by: nehall
Region: Henry County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 03, 2021
Observation date: Aug 08, 2016
Submitted by: K Stilwell
Region: Tazewell County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 01, 2021
Observation date: Aug 13, 2016
Submitted by: aoseeley
Region: Loudoun County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 01, 2021
Observation date: Aug 10, 2016
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 01, 2021
Observation date: May 10, 2018
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Suffolk, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 01, 2021
Observation date: May 10, 2020
Submitted by: ChrissyL
Region: Russell County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 01, 2021
Observation date: Aug 08, 2020
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jan 01, 2021
Observation date: Aug 06, 2020
Submitted by: c4c
Region: Botetourt County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Dec 31, 2020
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