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 193 - 216 of 2608 verified sightings
Observation date: May 18, 2022
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Hopewell, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 27, 2022
Observation date: May 19, 2022
Submitted by: c4c
Region: Salem, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 27, 2022
Observation date: Aug 13, 2021
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 25, 2022
Observation date: May 15, 2021
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 24, 2022
Observation date: May 23, 2021
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 24, 2022
Observation date: Jun 10, 2022
Submitted by: StevebrownLepid
Region: Lynchburg, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 24, 2022
Observation date: Jul 31, 2021
Submitted by: mysorekid
Region: St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 24, 2022
Observation date: Jun 18, 2022
Submitted by: Ohio97
Region: Warren County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Jun 23, 2022
Observation date: Sep 30, 2021
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jun 22, 2022
Observation date: May 25, 2021
Submitted by: Pondboy
Region: Marion County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: May 30, 2021
Submitted by: mysorekid
Region: St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Aug 03, 2021
Submitted by: sam_hartzler
Region: Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Aug 09, 2021
Submitted by: sam_hartzler
Region: Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Jul 31, 2021
Submitted by: mysorekid
Region: St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: May 28, 2022
Submitted by: mysorekid
Region: St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Aug 18, 2021
Submitted by: HansPG
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Jun 16, 2022
Observation date: May 30, 2022
Submitted by: jf.flynn.jr@gma...
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 16, 2022
Observation date: Jun 15, 2022
Submitted by: HMS1959
Region: Howard County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 16, 2022
Observation date: Jun 10, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 13, 2022
Observation date: May 10, 2022
Submitted by: mcathcook
Region: Henry County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 05, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 05, 2022
Submitted by: BootsDougherty
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 19, 2020
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Jun 05, 2022
Observation date: May 30, 2022
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Jun 05, 2022
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