A Zabulon skipper (Lon zabulon) is a smallish butterfly but average as far as skippers go. I consider it to be thumbnail size. I come across one in central Pennsylvania about every other year, but this season was different since I managed to photograph both a male and a female Zabulon.
The male is brightly colored.
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookoutnow.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/b0985-skip-zabulon-12aug2023.jpg?resize=640%2C448&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookoutnow.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/b0989-skip-zabulon-12aug2023.jpg?resize=640%2C448&ssl=1)
The female Zabulon skipper may not be as colorful as the male but is very distinctive.
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookoutnow.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/a1998-ms-zabulon-skip-20aug2023.jpg?resize=640%2C448&ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/lookoutnow.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/a2011-ms-zabulon-skip-20aug2023.jpg?resize=640%2C597&ssl=1)
The convenient part about photographing both male and female Zabulon skippers is that they both visited my backyard.