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 145 - 168 of 2718 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 26, 2024
Submitted by: tedzimmerman
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 26, 2024
Observation date: Jul 23, 2024
Submitted by: sam25o
Region: Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 26, 2024
Observation date: Jul 22, 2024
Submitted by: Plazmakat
Region: Stark County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 24, 2024
Observation date: Jul 20, 2024
Submitted by: Lydiaak
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 21, 2024
Observation date: Jun 12, 2024
Submitted by: Doug DeNeve
Region: Chatham County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jun 27, 2024
Observation date: May 08, 2024
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Berrien County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 11, 2024
Observation date: May 06, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Allen County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 06, 2024
Observation date: May 25, 2024
Submitted by: Ozark_Bill
Region: Franklin County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 06, 2024
Observation date: Jun 03, 2024
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 05, 2024
Observation date: May 08, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Ottawa County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 04, 2024
Observation date: May 24, 2024
Submitted by: MSEmbeck
Region: Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 04, 2024
Observation date: Jun 03, 2024
Submitted by: Spyro
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 04, 2024
Observation date: May 31, 2024
Submitted by: jryan1022
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 02, 2024
Observation date: May 28, 2024
Submitted by: Spyro
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 29, 2024
Observation date: May 22, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 24, 2024
Observation date: May 20, 2024
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 24, 2024
Observation date: Aug 16, 2022
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 23, 2024
Observation date: Jun 13, 2021
Submitted by: chherrmann
Region: Fairfax County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 23, 2024
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 23, 2024
Observation date: Aug 08, 2023
Submitted by: cvbond
Region: Accomack County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 23, 2024
Observation date: Sep 01, 2023
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: James City County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 23, 2024
Observation date: May 13, 2024
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: White County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 16, 2024
Observation date: May 11, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 16, 2024
Observation date: May 07, 2024
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Erie County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 11, 2024
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