With several tourists here from around the world, it seems that one of the first things they want to see is a toucan, and the boldest one here is this Yellow-throated Toucan (my gallery link). Here’s two slightly different views with neither showing his patch of red, but still a handsome bird! We are on the Caribbean Slope here, where this Yellow-throated is more common than the Keel-billed which is more common on the Pacific Slope. Tomorrow I will share another variety of toucans which also has a different “cousin” on the Pacific Slope.
Yellow Throated Toucan, Maquenque Lodge, Costa RicaYellow Throated Toucan, Maquenque Lodge, Costa Rica
There are so many orange with black trim butterflies and most of them are distinctly different, as is this Mexican Fritillary, Euptoieta hegesia (my gallery link).
In my gallery I have 9 different species of Crescents and this one has been mostly seen here in Atenas. See my GALLERY: Pale-banded Crescent, Anthanassa tulcis (linked). Here’s three different views in my garden this June and the damaged wings you may have noticed on other butterfly photos I’ve shared this year. It is the wind! Though not all the time like January, it is blowing just as hard here in June, which is not normal! I believe it is a part of the human-caused climate change. Also note that this one is on one of my few Milkweed Flowers, which is also attracting other species, so I want to find another sunny spot for more.
Pale banded Crescent, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Earlier this month I was seeing a lot of different butterflies but it has turned windy again and not many can handle that. This is one of my favorites . . . Juno Silverspot (my gallery link).
Juno Silverspot, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa RicaJuno Silverspot, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
One of the most common bees in my garden is this particular Orchid Bee. There are several kinds of Orchid Bees. All of my Bee photos are in one gallery calledBees — Abejas.
Here are two shots of one in my garden recently as they join the Hummingbirds and Butterflies in spreading nectar around . . .
Orchid Bee, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa RicaOrchid Bee, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
I’m the #1 observer of this species in Costa Rica’s iNaturalist and earlier I had it lumped with the North American Cloudless Sulphur, but someone decided that we are a different subspecies down here and added the “South American” identifier to the common name in both English & Spanish. Today I had 51 photos in my South American Cloudless Sulphur Gallery. (linked) Phoebis sennae.
South American Cloudless Sulphur, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
When I first planted the Tropical Milkweed I was hoping they would attract the Monarch Butterfly which is not as common here as in the States, but none yet. Then the other day I found 3 caterpillars on one of the Milkweed plants and with the iNaturalist AI have identified them as caterpillars of the Queen – Danaus gilippus butterfly (Linked to my gallery) which is related to the Monarch. Maybe in the near future I will have some fresh Queens birthed in my garden! 🙂 So far, the only two Queens I’ve seen have been elsewhere.
I’m hoping that their eating all the leaves off my best Milkweed plant will not kill it! 🙂 They were first planted between two tall flowers and thus only get sunshine midday which is really not enough sun for milkweed. I just a few days ago planted 3 more Milkweeds in a different part of the garden where they get both morning and midday sun, so hopefully they will do better! I’m on the side of a hill with lots of trees, so plants like this that need lots of sunshine will always struggle on my little lot.
Caterpillar of Queen Butterfly – Danaus gilippus, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica (Note that most leaves are already eaten!) 🙂Caterpillar of Queen Butterfly – Danaus gilippus, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica. (Note that most leaves are already eaten!) 🙂Tropical Milkweed, in my garden, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica — Those caterpillars ate all those leaves!
¡Pura Vida!
I have not focused on caterpillars, but do have a little gallery with what caterpillars I’ve photographed in Costa Rica at CATERPILLARS (linked) with most in the “Unidentified” folder for a total of 15 species, assuming no overlap or duplication.
This is becoming my new favorite bird in my garden, mainly because of that deep blue tail! See more of my photos in the gallery: Blue-vented Hummingbird.
Blue-vented Hummingbird, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa RicaBlue-vented Hummingbird, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa RicaBlue-vented Hummingbird, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
