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 505 - 528 of 2721 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 20, 2020
Submitted by: Kdm323
Region: Henrico County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Dec 31, 2020
Observation date: Jun 15, 2019
Submitted by: cbr
Region: New London County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 22, 2020
Observation date: Sep 04, 2017
Submitted by: kristidem
Region: Hartford County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 22, 2020
Observation date: Aug 17, 2020
Submitted by: MMehtar
Region: Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 21, 2020
Observation date: Aug 16, 2018
Submitted by: nickosler
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 21, 2020
Observation date: Aug 16, 2018
Submitted by: nickosler
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 21, 2020
Observation date: May 27, 2019
Submitted by: a-o
Region: New Haven County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 21, 2020
Observation date: Aug 16, 2018
Submitted by: nickosler
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 21, 2020
Observation date: Jul 17, 2020
Submitted by: EastKansas
Region: Douglas County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: azukoff
Verified date: Dec 15, 2020
Observation date: Jul 30, 2017
Submitted by: joep01
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Dec 14, 2020
Observation date: Jul 28, 2013
Submitted by: mothie
Region: Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Dec 10, 2020
Observation date: May 15, 2015
Submitted by: Carolyn Seaton
Region: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 10, 2020
Observation date: May 13, 2018
Submitted by: exoticpetrvt
Region: Franklin County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 09, 2020
Observation date: Aug 01, 2017
Submitted by: maddysabo
Region: Cabarrus County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 08, 2020
Observation date: Apr 22, 2017
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Swain County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 07, 2020
Observation date: Aug 08, 2018
Submitted by: magnolyah
Region: Macon County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 07, 2020
Observation date: Aug 08, 2015
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Johnston County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 07, 2020
Observation date: May 06, 2019
Submitted by: LinCepek
Region: Surry County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 06, 2020
Observation date: May 30, 2019
Submitted by: caw33iii
Region: Wake County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 06, 2020
Observation date: May 01, 2020
Submitted by: ChrissyL
Region: Montgomery County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 05, 2020
Observation date: Aug 19, 2020
Submitted by: TioCeBoji
Region: Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 05, 2020
Observation date: Aug 17, 2020
Submitted by: sreuning
Region: Orange County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 04, 2020
Observation date: Aug 23, 2020
Submitted by: lwescott
Region: Brown County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 03, 2020
Observation date: Jul 20, 2015
Submitted by: Carol Thornton-...
Region: Orange County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 03, 2020
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