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 217 - 240 of 2718 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 07, 2023
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
Observation date: May 30, 2023
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 04, 2023
Observation date: May 29, 2023
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 04, 2023
Observation date: May 30, 2023
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 31, 2023
Observation date: May 22, 2023
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 26, 2023
Observation date: May 21, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 22, 2023
Observation date: May 21, 2023
Submitted by: Michayla Lovitt
Region: Franklin County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 21, 2023
Observation date: May 19, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 20, 2023
Observation date: Apr 19, 2023
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Pulaski County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 21, 2023
Observation date: Apr 02, 2023
Submitted by: Rob Williams
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 03, 2023
Observation date: Sep 10, 2022
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Feb 04, 2023
Observation date: Jun 12, 2020
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Feb 04, 2023
Observation date: Apr 23, 2022
Submitted by: chaynes4@me.com
Region: Cobb County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jan 17, 2023
Observation date: Jun 05, 2022
Submitted by: Molly Jacobson
Region: Ulster County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jan 12, 2023
Observation date: Jul 07, 2022
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Polk County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 15, 2022
Observation date: Aug 27, 2022
Submitted by: mysorekid
Region: Elkhart County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Aug 26, 2020
Submitted by: treys grammy
Region: Benton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Sep 05, 2022
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 13, 2022
Observation date: Aug 17, 2022
Submitted by: Jamesransbottom
Region: Allen County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 13, 2022
Observation date: Aug 22, 2022
Submitted by: rarluck@gmail.com
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 12, 2022
Observation date: Aug 22, 2022
Submitted by: rarluck@gmail.com
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 12, 2022
Observation date: May 30, 2022
Submitted by: Stylurus
Region: Lenawee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 11, 2022
Observation date: Aug 26, 2022
Submitted by: catbirdcat
Region: Carroll County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 08, 2022
Observation date: Sep 02, 2022
Submitted by: lantana
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 06, 2022
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