Category: Butterflies

Butterflies photographed in Costa Rica and nearby

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Blomfild’s Beauty

Blomfild’s Beauty,  Atenas, Costa Rica

A few days ago I displayed 3 new butterflies for me. One was on a window screen and I used the text book name Smyrna Blomfildia. Well, two days later he (or one like him) showed up in my bathroom near the ceiling above a high window. Poor light, but two better shots than the one on the screen. This beautiful butterfly is found only in Central America and Mexico, very rarely in South Texas. It is know for the very intricate bottom or closed wing pattern. This time I got a partial shot of the top wings. Neat butterfly!

 

Blomfild’s Beauty, Atenas, Costa Rica
This shot shows the bottom wing pattern a little better than above.
But I will add the screen shot that might show it even better.

 
Blomfild’s Beauty, Atenas, Costa Rica
Notice the intricate design and the multiple colors!

 

 
Nature is the art of God.
Dante Alighieri

See my complete collection at Costa Rica Butterflies by Charlie Doggett photo gallery

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And sorry about two posts in one day! I meant to hit the “Save” button, but the “Post” button is bigger and I’m used to hitting it! So consider this tomorrow’s post! You won’t get another one then!

 

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Polydamas Swallowtail Butterfly

Polydamas Swallowtail Butterfly, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Polydamas Swallowtail, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

 

Polydamas Swallowtail Butterfly, Atenas, Costa Rica

My garden is so much fun! And beautiful! When I run out of new things to photograph in it I guess I’ll start traveling more.  🙂  And by the way, I’ve been photographing butterflies here since 2009. Check out some of the others in my Butterflies of Costa Rica photo gallery. And if you enjoy other interesting insects, I have a Insects of Costa Rica gallery also. And you wondered, “What in the world do you do every day way down there in Costa Rica?   🙂

And my new butterfly book arrived today at Aerocasillas from Amazon.com.

“Butterflies are self propelled flowers.” 
― Robert A. Heinlein

 

 

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Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly, Atenas, Costa Rica

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly, Atenas, Costa Rica

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly (Underneath View), Atenas, Costa Rica

This is similar to the Thoas Swallowtail, but I’m voting on Giant Swallowtail since Thoas is supposedly found mostly in the wet Caribbean and South Pacific. We are finally getting rain here today after much of the week without rain, even though it is “Rainy Season!” I don’t have to water when it rains!   🙂   If you want to live in a garden, you have to tend it!

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.

Marcus Tullius Cicero

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Metalmark Butterfly

One of the many Metalmark Butterflies, I’m pretty sure. No positive ID.
Atenas, Costa Rica, by Charlie Doggett
Metalmark Butterfly, Atenas, Costa Rica, by Charlie Doggett

My private gardener team came and did some good work yesterday. I’ve retained them for once or twice a month maintenance of garden and trees. (The ones who installed my garden.) The property gardener does a lot but works for about five or so properties doing mainly the big maintenance, weed-eating, etc. Most people here get a maid, I get a gardener!  🙂   Maybe a maid later. Still emptying boxes now.

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I Have a Bee-ruus

I’m beginning to learn how Costa Ricans speak Spanish. I went to Dr. Candy today sick. Though she speaks perfect English and pronounced “virus” the way we do in the states, her assistant in the office and my taxista pronounced it “bee-ruus.” There is not a Spanish word for virus, so they use the English word with local pronunciation. Although there is a separate “V” sound in Spanish, a little more lispy than in English, most in Central America pronounce it like “B.” All “I’s” are pronounced like a long E and most “U’s” are pronounced like uuuu. Languages are fun!

I have meds and electrolytes to take and a list of what foods I can eat and not eat. So I should feel better soon. I am to go back if not better by Thursday. Medical care here is done very well, just mostly in Spanish!   🙂

Since all my posts have photos, here’s an unrelated butterfly shot made recently:

Colored like a Duskywing and tail like a Swallowtail but no match so far!
And a green head! If you know what it is, please contact me!
charlie@charliedoggett.net
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Dina Yellow Butterfly

Dina or Leuce Yellow is a new name to me but that is the internet ID on this guy.
Yesterday and today are my first times to see him in my garden.
Similar to a Sulphur; found in Caribbean, Central & South America.

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Jardín de la Mariposa

That’s “Butterfly Garden” in Spanish
I called this a Swallowtail earlier, but don’t think so after getting this view.
Still researching for a name.

I love my garden as much as my house and the many hummingbirds and butterflies are one of the reasons! Just have more trouble catching the hummingbirds with the camera.

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Volcanoes and Waterfalls!

Templo Falls one of five falls at La Paz
Jaguar at La Paz, my favorite photo after the waterfall above.
Though my arm was scratched by an Ocelot when I tried to photograph
through bars of his cage. (That’s another story for later maybe!)

Blue Morpho Butterfly at La Paz
Poas Lake Caldron

Active Portion of Poas Volcano that smelled like sulphur
Tree Fern in tropical cloud forest of Poas Volcano
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Happiness is like a butterfly . . .

I photographed this Hecafe Longwing at a butterfly farm in Braulio Carrillo National Park in 2010.

I look forward to getting there, doing a better job of slowing down, sitting still, and being quiet, than I usually do here. That is when nature surprises me!

If you cannot read the quote within the photo, here it is again:

“Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”

― Nathaniel Hawthorne

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An Apartment is Arranged!

Beautiful apartments with valley & mountain views

Pool from patio and BBQ area where I’ll entertain you
on your visit

I now have an apartment that will be waiting on me when I arrive the last week of December, the one I told you about earlier, Hacienda La Jacaranda. 
Click the link to see photos of the property, the apartments inside, and even the waterfall on their property under their “Amenities” tab. Most of their photos cannot be copied. A Dutch couple operate it and he wrote me today with this fun message reminding me that my neighbors will include monkeys & iguanas:
  

Dear Charlie,

Thank you for your reply. One unit is reserve for you. We are working on our paypal reservation payment in our website. Might be done tomorrow then I will let you know. You can stay here upon arrival.

You will love Costa Rica since you are a nature lover. Atenas also has the best climate. We will have several  of mangos trees in the property and during mango season the monkeys visit here to eat the fruits. Iguana’s are just also in our premises. Right now, we have flowers in the garden so different kinds of butterflies is visible here. Good subject for photography. Here is one photo for you.

Regards,

Phons van der Bom

         Hacienda La Jacaranda
         Contiguo al Rio Cajon Atenas, Alajuela,Costa Rica

Phons’ photo of a butterfly in his garden
And in case you wondered about the name of the place, here is the Wikipedia definition:

Jacaranda is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of Central America, South America, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica and the Bahamas.  Wikipedia


And by the way, I’ve decided to continue blogging here since several people are following this blog and not my Adventures Blog. At least until I get there. Tomorrow will be the good and bad news about interim medical insurance.