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 49 - 72 of 2671 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 19, 2024
Submitted by: kathashagen
Region: West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 27, 2025
Observation date: Jun 17, 2025
Submitted by: TJ in Derry
Region: Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 24, 2025
Observation date: Jun 02, 2025
Submitted by: Lynn Cremona
Region: Ocean County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 08, 2025
Observation date: May 25, 2025
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 26, 2025
Observation date: May 24, 2025
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 26, 2025
Observation date: May 15, 2025
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Allen County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 18, 2025
Observation date: May 15, 2025
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 16, 2025
Observation date: May 06, 2025
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 12, 2025
Observation date: Jun 17, 1996
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Grayson County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 24, 2025
Observation date: May 25, 2024
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Hamilton County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 19, 2025
Observation date: Jul 17, 2024
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Boone County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 12, 2025
Observation date: Aug 11, 2019
Submitted by: tom nolan
Region: Burlington County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 25, 2024
Observation date: Aug 07, 2019
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 21, 2024
Observation date: Aug 12, 2022
Submitted by: Blond crestedwarbler
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 21, 2024
Observation date: Aug 23, 2023
Submitted by: zebrafinch19
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 17, 2024
Observation date: Jun 17, 1996
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Grayson County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 17, 2024
Observation date: Aug 13, 2018
Submitted by: XplorMor Intern...
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Jul 30, 2020
Submitted by: janetslingerland
Region: Burlington County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Aug 15, 2022
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: May 19, 2023
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Aug 22, 2024
Submitted by: Blond crestedwarbler
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Aug 04, 2024
Submitted by: B Reinsel
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Jul 26, 2024
Submitted by: Stephanie Claus
Region: Ocean County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: May 21, 2024
Submitted by: AlbinoDigits
Region: Franklin County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 28, 2024
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