New Jersey Butterfly Club

Zabulon Skipper

Poanes zabulon

Identification: Very small—FW ≥0.6". Above: Male FW mainly orange-yellow with dark trailing border, and a squarish dark mark just touching dark border near FW tip. HW has orange central patch surrounded by dark borders; orange patch usually extends as a tiny point toward outer HW angle. Female FW is dark brown above a row of flashy white/glassy spots and a pale "bracelet." Below: Male HW with reddish-brown base and trailing border enclosing a large yellow patch with several reddish-brown spots, and a small yellow spot near the shoulder. Female HW and FW rich, dark, reddish-brown with frosting on outer margins and a white outline along leading edge of HW. Similar skippers: Hobomok male and normal female have wider dark borders on FW above and dark veins crossing the orange on both wings. Male has an S-shaped mark near FW tip and female has brown base to FW. Below, yellow patch on Hobomok HW lacks reddish-brown spots. Pocahontas female above lacks large, glassy spots in FW and white edge to HW. Clouded Skipper resembles Zabulon female but lacks white line along outer curve of HW and occurs only in the far South Jersey counties. Peck's Skipper is smaller and lacks rusty-brown spots in yellow patch on HW below.

NJ Status and Distribution: Resident. Widespread and common throughout.

Habitat: Woodland edges and openings. Readily visits gardens.

Flight Period: Two broods from mid-May to mid-October with peaks in June and again in August. Extreme dates: North Jersey 4/30—10/17; South Jersey 4/21—11/8.

Caterpillar Food Plants: Grasses, including Purpletop (Tridens flavus) and love grasses (Eragrostis).

Overwintering Stage: Undetermined, but probably caterpillar.

Good Locations: NJAS Old Farm Sanctuary, Mountainside Park, Thompson Park Conservation Area (Middlesex County), Appalachian Trail Lands, Willowwood Arboretum, Riverwinds Scenic Trail, Garrett Family Preserve, Tall Pines Preserve, Palmyra Cove Nature Park, Cape May Point SP.

Comments: A little butterfly that darts out at you from the edge of forest clearing is almost certainly a Zabulon Skipper. If you take the time to watch this pugnacious little fellow you will see that it investigates just about everything that flies by—even potential predators like birds and dragonflies. If the intruder is not a female Zabulon it quickly goes back to its same perch—usually a leaf in the sun. If it is female an aerial "dance" may ensue that could outlast your patience.