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 289 - 312 of 2608 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 08, 2017
Submitted by: jnchandler
Region: Charles County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 31, 2021
Observation date: Aug 16, 2021
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Oct 30, 2021
Observation date: Aug 17, 2021
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Oct 30, 2021
Observation date: Apr 22, 2021
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Oct 30, 2021
Observation date: Aug 16, 2021
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Oct 29, 2021
Observation date: Jun 02, 2021
Submitted by: amyautomobile
Region: Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 25, 2021
Observation date: Jul 31, 2021
Submitted by: rogerashton
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 25, 2021
Observation date: Sep 11, 2020
Submitted by: cskipper
Region: Garrett County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Aug 02, 2021
Submitted by: Ashwnota
Region: Washington County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Aug 02, 2021
Submitted by: wheel03@verizon.net
Region: Howard County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Aug 02, 2021
Submitted by: Ashwnota
Region: Washington County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Aug 15, 2021
Submitted by: Kate McCain
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Aug 15, 2021
Submitted by: Kate McCain
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Aug 08, 2021
Submitted by: grayhairstreak
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Aug 17, 2021
Submitted by: Dave Webb
Region: Harford County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 24, 2021
Observation date: Oct 09, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Oct 10, 2021
Observation date: Apr 15, 2019
Submitted by: Debo Boddiford
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Oct 10, 2021
Observation date: Apr 15, 2019
Submitted by: Debo Boddiford
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Oct 10, 2021
Observation date: Sep 11, 2021
Submitted by: L Reid
Region: Cumberland County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 04, 2021
Observation date: Sep 02, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 29, 2021
Observation date: Sep 10, 2021
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Pope County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 22, 2021
Observation date: Sep 01, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Sep 03, 2021
Observation date: Aug 13, 2021
Submitted by: kathybrown
Region: Allen County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Sep 02, 2021
Observation date: Aug 23, 2021
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 23, 2021
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