Category: Costa Rica

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One of the Cicadas

In running these two photos through the iNaturalist, this insect is definitely in the Fidicina Genus (with about 30 species of Cicadas in CR) and though not an exact match, the closest species I could find was Fidicina toulgoeti which iNaturalist says has never been observed in Costa Rica (only Ecuador & Brazil), soooo, I will submit it to iNat just as the genus and see if one of the “bug experts” can identify it. If they agree with my suggested species, then mine will be the first observation of it in Costa Rica! 🙂

It was seen on the Cecropia Tree in my garden . . .

One of 30 species of Cicadas in Costa Rica, observed in Atenas, Alajuela.
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Yojoa Scrub-Hairstreak

If nothing else, it has a cool name! 🙂 The Yojoa Scrub-Hairstreak – Strymon yojoa (my gallery link) is another of those many Central American butterflies. Here’s a couple of shots and go to the gallery for more.

Yojoa Scrub-Hairstreak, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Canivet’s Emerald

is now one of my three regular hummingbirds along with the Rufous-tailed and the Blue-vented that surf my Porterweed flowers all day along with an occasional other flower and my feeders when filled (not often). Their second favorite flower seems to be the Torch Ginger or Bastón de Emperador. Both of these shots are of a female (white chest and white eyebrow) while the male has no white and thus I could be confusing him with the blue-vented which are very much alike.

Canivet’s Emerald, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Large Orange Sulphur

This species usually has lots of brown spots and lines on the folded wings much like the Apricot Sulphur, but these in my garden the other day were solid yellow, or to fit their name, a bright orange! 🙂 I am pretty sure of the identification, though never certain. Here’s 3 pix from that recent sighting and for more photos, see my Orange Sulphur Gallery.

Large Orange Sulphur, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica.
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Guava Skipper

This was one of my first “exotic” butterflies on my birthday trip to Xandari in 2019 and since I’ve seen it one other time in my garden in June of 2022 and now here in 2025. See some much better photos in my gallery: Guava Skipper.

Note that different sources have different scientific names: Phocides lilea, Phocides polybus and Phocides palemon. I still don’t know who is in charge of butterfly names, but I’m beginning to lean toward iNaturalist and put their scientific name first in my lists when more than one is used. It is not like with birds where eBird is sort of everyone’s source with confidence that it is always correct. (A least we think that!) 🙂

Guava Skipper, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Rain Approaching!

As it does almost every afternoon! And this particular shot of rain on nearby hills was on May 22. A daily afternoon or night (my favorite) is what keeps tropical places like Costa Rica green, beautiful and full of so many species of plants and wildlife. I love it! 🙂

Afternoon rain on nearby hills means soon it will be on my hill. 🙂

¡Pura Vida!

My collection of such photo views from my terrace is growing! 🙂

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Orange-barred Sulphur

This Orange-barred Sulphur, Phoebis philea (my gallery link) does not have the strong “barring” that some of this species have, but the stronger yellow color to me eliminates the possibility of a a similar-spotted butterfly, the Cloudless Sulphur, which is usually white or a light yellow. But I could be wrong! 🙂 And if someone changes it on iNaturalist, I will come back and change it here! 🙂

Orange-barred Sulphur, Atenas, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Blurry-striped Longtail

This Blurry-striped Longtail, Chiodes catillus (my gallery link) is also sometimes called White-striped Longtail by some sources. It is a less seen longtail skipper, but one of the many species that make up the huge biodiversity of Costa Rica! Here’s two shots of the same individual showing the difference in color that bright sunlight or shadows can make on these butterflies. 🙂

Blurry-striped Longtail, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Tropical Buckeye

One of my many “favorites” is the Tropical Buckeye, Junonia evarete or Junonia zonalis (linked to my gallery) is found throughout Central America, West Indies, Florida and the Southwestern U.S.

Tropical Buckeye, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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Turkey Vulture

Vultures are so common all over the world and so important to the health of the planet! And I just can’t resist trying to photograph one every once in a while! 🙂 This common one here is a Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura (my gallery link) is the same one you see in the United States. I think they are beautiful when flying, though their underside is always in the shadows! 🙂

Turkey Vulture, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Turkey Vulture, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

You might be interested in my other galleries on different vultures both here and other places I’ve lived/traveled . . .

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