Zabulon Skipper

Zabulon Skipper

Lon zabulon

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Washington

In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%

1,594 Verified sightings at Washington
212 In all 4 parks From 2019 to 2026
August Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Zabulon Skipper

The Zabulon skipper (Lon zabulon) (sometimes called the southern dimorphic skipper) 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. There is a yellow basal spot enclosed with brown. 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. The wingspan measures 1+3⁄8 to 1+5⁄8 inches (35–41 mm).

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... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
2 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
3 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Washington 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
2 Boston 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
3 Baltimore 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Philadelphia 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
5 New York City 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
6 Detroit 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
7 Chicago 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Zabulon Skipper in Washington?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Zabulon Skipper sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 1,594 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 10th most-seen of the 1807 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Zabulon Skipper in Washington?

August

In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Zabulon Skipper in Washington on a given day, against under 5% in October to April, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Zabulon Skipper?

Between noon and 3 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Zabulon Skipper sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Washington the best place to see a Zabulon Skipper?

Yes

Of the 7 cities where we can rate Zabulon Skipper sightings, Washington has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Boston (United States, about 20%) and Baltimore (United States, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Zabulon Skipper live in Washington?

Same family: Hesperiidae

The closest relatives of the Zabulon Skipper that you can see in Washington (family Hesperiidae, Skippers) are Silver-Spotted Skipper (about 20%), Peck's Skipper (about 10%) and Fiery Skipper (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Zabulon Skipper sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Zabulon Skipper is recorded against all the insects logged in Washington (1,594 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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