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| Zabulon Skipper |
Latin
Name: Poanes zabulon |
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Genus: Poanes Species: zabulon |
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Comments: |
| Sexually dimorphic, the Zabulon Skipper is a small butterfly with a bright orange male and a drab brown female. It occasionally wanders into suburban gardens. Adults have a rapid flight and are strongly attracted to flowers. Males perch on sunlit branches along trails or clearings and engage passing objects or rival males. Females generally prefer to remain within the confines of nearby shady sites. |
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Life
Cycle: |
Broods: |
two generations |
Egg: |
pale green, laid singly on host leaves |
Larva: |
tan with dark dorsal stripe, white lateral stripe and reddish brown head; body is covered with short, lightcolored hairs |
Host Plants: |
various grasses including Purpletop Grass and lovegrass |
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Host
Plants: |
Host
Plants: |
various grasses including Purpletop Grass and lovegrass |
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Habitat: |
Habitat: |
open woodlands, forest edges, roadsides, pastures, wetland edges, stream corridors and old fields |
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Wingspan: |
Inches: |
1 - 1.4 |
Centimeters: |
2.5 - 3.6 |
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Appearance: |
Sexes: |
dissimilar, female brown with little orange color |
Compare: |
Sachem is similar to male Zabulon Skipper, but dark hindwing base does not enclose yellow patch. Clouded Skipper is similar to female, but lacks large dorsal forewing spots and white band along the top margin of the ventral hindwing. |
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| Markings: |
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Above:
- male is golden orange with dark brown borders and small brown spot near forewing apex; female is dark brown with band of cream spots across forewing
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Below:
- male hindwing yellow with brown base and margin enclosing a yellow spot; female is dark brown with small band of light spots near forewing apex, lavender scaling on wing margins, and white band along apex
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Map Legend: Resident (green) | Stray
(Red) |
