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 73 - 96 of 2591 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 20, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 22, 2023
Observation date: Apr 29, 2022
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Catoosa County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Aug 20, 2023
Submitted by: Chet Gottfried
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 20, 2023
Observation date: Aug 19, 2023
Submitted by: wuebber60
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 20, 2023
Observation date: Aug 18, 2023
Submitted by: cjablonski
Region: McHenry County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 19, 2023
Observation date: Aug 17, 2023
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 17, 2023
Observation date: Aug 12, 2023
Submitted by: heather-russell
Region: Guilford County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 17, 2023
Observation date: Aug 14, 2023
Submitted by: xBISsped6
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 15, 2023
Observation date: Aug 15, 2023
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 15, 2023
Observation date: May 23, 2022
Submitted by: tirvine2020
Region: Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States
Verified by: Harry Pavulaan
Verified date: Aug 14, 2023
Observation date: Aug 11, 2023
Submitted by: SusanPotomac
Region: Montgomery County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 11, 2023
Observation date: Aug 09, 2023
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 10, 2023
Observation date: Aug 07, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Cumberland County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 08, 2023
Observation date: Aug 02, 2023
Submitted by: adfath
Region: Fayette County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 03, 2023
Observation date: Aug 02, 2023
Submitted by: vogelbild
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 02, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: sASteele
Region: Taylor County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 31, 2023
Observation date: Jul 03, 2023
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: Benton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 04, 2023
Observation date: Sep 07, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Hillsdale County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 27, 2023
Observation date: Sep 07, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Jackson County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 27, 2023
Observation date: Jun 05, 2023
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 26, 2023
Observation date: Jun 05, 2023
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 26, 2023
Observation date: Aug 31, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 26, 2023
Observation date: Jun 10, 2023
Submitted by: davek
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 19, 2023
Observation date: Jun 07, 2023
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
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