charliedoggett.net
One of my frequently seen Sulphur is this Dark Apricot Sulphur, Phoebis argante (my gallery link). Note that the top of wings are a solid bright yellow while the bottom of wings (or side view) is a darker yellow with lots of brown spots.
Wow! Not easy and not quick! I always have a lot of photos to process from Maquenque Lodge and here are the ones that I chose to keep in the appropriate sub-galleries. Click the image of gallery below to go there or use this address: https://charliedoggett.smugmug.com/TRIPS/2026-07-2-7-Maquenque-Lodge-Boca-Tapada
¡Pura Vida!
Maybe the Satyr species I see most here, the Hermes Satyr (my gallery link) was of course seen at Maquenque . . .
¡Pura Vida!
The Julia Heliconian (my gallery link) was also prevalent at Maquenque as in my garden, another favorite butterfly. Here’s the distinctive side view and top view . . .
¡Pura Vida!
The Red Postman, Heliconius erato (my gallery link) is found from Southern Texas in the U.S. south through Mexico, all of Central America and most of South America. It is easily confused with the Postman, Heliconius melpomene rosina (my gallery link), found only in Costa Rica and Panama.
¡Pura Vida!
Maquenque is just the 4th place I’ve seen this Banded Tigerwing, Aeria eurimedia (my gallery link) and all four locations were on the Caribbean Slope of Costa Rica, with the other 3 right on the coast at Tortuguero, Cahuita and Gandoca-Manzanilla. A beautiful butterfly that seems to always give me opportunity for both top view and side view photos. 🙂 That’s the two views that “identifiers” want. 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
Rainforest Experience
Not only is Maquenque up to 70 Treehouse Cabins (THE TREEHOUSE LODGE IN COSTA RICA!), but they continue adding wildness and nature to various corners of their deep forest. One of the additions I discovered this time is a corner of their farm alongside one of the smaller lagoons has been turned into a meadow of flowers! Not only the natural wild flowers, but they have planted more, like Zinnias, Daisies, Cuban Buttercups, Heliconia’s, and more that I haven’t identified. 🙂 And within it I photographed 15+ species of butterflies with the dominant ones being an assortment of “Tigers” or about 4 species of Genus Mechanitis (Tigerwings) and maybe a Tiger Mimic-Queen. I’m having trouble separating and identifying all the tigers! 🙂 Here’s two shots (side view & top view) of what may or may not be the same species in the “Flower Meadow,” followed by a gallery of 4 shots of the flowers in the meadow . . .
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.
¡Pura Vida!
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.
And two more different view photos . . .
Continue reading “Pale-banded Crescent”