| Zabulon skipper | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Underside of the female | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Hesperiidae |
| Genus: | Lon |
| Species: | L. zabulon |
| Binomial name | |
| Lon zabulon | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The Zabulon skipper (Lon zabulon) (sometimes called the southern dimorphic skipper [2] ) is a North American butterfly first described by the French naturalists Jean Baptiste Boisduval and John Eatton Le Conte from the state of Georgia, United States.
This small butterfly has slim, triangular wings. The upperside of the male's wings is mostly orange with the margins being dark brown. The underside of the male's wings is mainly yellow orange with the margins being dark brown. [3] There is a yellow basal spot enclosed with brown. [4] The upperside of the female's wings is dark brown with large, glassy spots near the forewing outer margin. The underside of the female's wings is a brownish-burgundy color with the hindwing having a white streak on the costal edge. The wing margins are broadly frosted. [3] The wingspan measures 1+3⁄8 to 1+5⁄8 inches (35–41 mm). [5]
The only similar species in the Zabulon skipper's range is the Hobomok skipper.
The Hobomok skipper has a more northern range and different flight period than the Zabulon skipper. They also have more rounded wings. The upperside of the male Hobomok skipper's wings has thicker dark margins. The underside of the male's hindwing lacks the enclosed yellow basal spot. [4] While the female Zabulon skipper has one form, the female Hobomok skipper has two; the normal form and the pocahontas form. The upperside of the pocahontas form has smaller glassy spots and has one glassy spot near the forewing costa. [3]
This species ranges from Wisconsin east to the East Coast, south to Georgia, Texas, and Panama.
The Zabulon skipper can be found in a wide range of habitats such as woodland edges, woodland openings, and near roads, especially if there are streams nearby. It can adapt to other habitats including suburban areas, parks, and gardens. [3]
This butterfly is on the wing from March to April and again in August to October in the south; and from May to July and again in August to September in the north. [3]
Males perch all day in search for females. Usually, courtship takes place in the afternoon. However, it will occasionally happen as early as 8:20 a.m. [3] Females lay their eggs singly on the underside of host plant leaves. [2] The larva is either brown or green, both sometimes having a pinkish hue. It is often indistinguishable from closely related larvae. [6] The chrysalis is often formed inside a leaf shelter. It is brown with the abdomen being a lighter brown and having small black dots. [2] The overwintering stage is unknown. [3] The Zabulon skipper has two broods per year. [4]
Recorded food plants of the caterpillars are grasses such as Agrostis , Dactylis , Elytrigia , Eragrostis , Leymus , Poa , Puccinellia and Tridens .
The silver-washed fritillary is a common and variable butterfly found over much of the Palearctic realm – Algeria, Europe and across the Palearctic to Japan.
The large skipper is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae.
Colias croceus, clouded yellow, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, the yellows and whites.
The Adonis blue is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It inhabits the Palearctic realm.
Melitaea diamina, the false heath fritillary, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
The scarce copper is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
Ideopsis vulgaris, the blue glassy tiger, is a butterfly that belongs to the crows and tigers, that is, the danaid group of the brush-footed butterflies family.
The Indian fritillary is a species of butterfly of the nymphalid or brush-footed family. It is usually found from south and southeast Asia to Australia.
The purple-edged copper is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
Polyommatus amandus, the Amanda's blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the Palearctic realm.
Boloria bellona, the meadow fritillary, is a North American butterfly in the brushfoot family, Nymphalidae. The common name, meadow fritillary, is also used for a European butterfly species, Melitaea parthenoides.
Nathalis iole, the dainty sulphur or dwarf yellow, is a North American butterfly in the family Pieridae.
Ancyloxypha numitor, the least skipper, is a North American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. They have a weak, Satyrinae-like flight.
Polites themistocles, the tawny-edged skipper, is a North American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae.
Eurema proterpia, the tailed orange, is a North and South American butterfly in the family Pieridae.
Chlosyne lacinia, the bordered patch or sunflower patch, is a North and South American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae.
Callophrys henrici, the Henry's elfin or woodland elfin, is a North American butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. In Canada it is found from southern Manitoba to southern Nova Scotia. It has two main groups of populations in the United States; the first is found along the Atlantic Coast and uses various hollies (Ilex) as host plants; and the second is found mainly in the north and the Appalachians where they use redbud as a host plant. Henry's elfin is increasing in New England because of an introduced buckthorn it now uses as a host plant. It is listed as a species of special concern in the US state of Connecticut.
Agathymus neumoegeni is commonly referred to as the orange giant-skipper, Neumogen's giant-skipper, Neumogen's agave borer, Neumogen's moth-skipper, and tawny giant-skipper.
The Hobomok skipper is a North American butterfly of the family Hesperiidae.
Chlorostrymon simaethis, the silver-banded hairstreak, is a North and South American butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is also known as St. Christopher's hairstreak and the Key lime hairstreak.
