Category: Insects

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First Afternoon Butterflies

I arrived at Xandari in time for a little snack lunch and was assigned the same room, Villa 19, that I was in last August also for just two nights (they’re expensive is why short stays). See the room gallery for last year if you want to know what it looks like. All rooms are very nice here!

I walked the inner-circle trails photographing only these four butterflies and a whole lot more flowers and other nature which I will share later. It was bright sun and hot all afternoon, which is what butterflies like and there were a lot flying around but not stopping for a photo, especially the yellows and I saw some Julias too, but only these 4 landed where I could photograph. Tomorrow I will walk some deeper forest trails which have different butterflies and birds, though I got no birds this afternoon.  Birds will be in the morning.

Banded Peacock, Xandari Costa Rica, Alajuela

Continue reading “First Afternoon Butterflies”

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Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak

This is my second time to photograph the Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon istapa, in my garden. The first time, back in November when one was on a Heliconia flower being attacked and eventually eaten by a Jumping Spider. See that blog post. This one was at the top of my garden along the top of the garden wall, flitting from plant to plant. A tiny, thumbnail sized butterfly in the Gossamer Wings Family, Lycaenidae. See both sets of photos in my Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak GALLERY.

Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

 

Here’s 3 more photos of this guy . . . Continue reading “Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak”

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White Peacock Butterfly

In my garden the other day as one I haven’t seen much of this year. A beautifully simple butterfly unlike his cousin the more flashy Banded Peacock. You may have noticed that I saw one on the birding hike last Saturday also. See my White Peacock GALLERY for some better photos of this normal-sized butterfly.

White Peacock, Atenas, Costa Rica
White Peacock, Atenas, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Last Saturday’s Birding Hike

A local friend who has connections with a private religious retreat center in the mountains of Santa Eulalia, Atenas Canton, took me and two other friends last Saturday morning for a really nice birding hike that included all nature!  🙂  You can see the photos at:

https://charliedoggett.smugmug.com/TRIPS/2022-January-21-Sermon-on-Mount-BIRDING

Or if I did it right just click this first page of the gallery . . .

¡Pura Vida!

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Eastern Tailed-Blue

This is another new butterfly species for me! And in my own gardens! 🙂  Eastern Tailed-Blue, Cupido comyntas (linked to butterfliesandmoths website). Like the other blues, it is very tiny, literally “thumbnail sized.” These tiny ones stay mostly in the grass and are very skittish, so I can’t get close-ups, but rather shoot with my telephoto lens and do a pretty big crop to make it visible for the viewer. Like many other butterflies, the top view and folded-wings view are totally different. Below are my shots of both and then you might want to see my gallery of other blues and tiny butterflies like Hairstreaks in my
Lycaenidae – GOSSAMER-WINGS Gallery.

Eastern Tailed-Blue, Atenas, Costa Rica
Eastern Tailed-Blue, Atenas, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Polydamas Swallowtail

I see many more of these large butterflies during the rainy season, but the other day this one was flitting about the different flowers in my garden in spite of the wind! He has to eat, windy or not!  🙂

Polydamas Swallowtail, Atenas, Costa Rica
Polydamas Swallowtail, Atenas, Costa Rica
Polydamas Swallowtail, Atenas, Costa Rica

Check out my other shots of this species in my Polydamas Swallowtail GALLERY.

¡Pura Vida!

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Late Butterflies – #4 of 4 – Tropical Checkered Skipper

While this is not a common one for me to see, I did see it this month in my garden, so I’m counting it as the fourth “late butterfly.”  The Tropical Checkered Skipper, Pyrgus oileus, has been incorrectly called “Tropical Checkerspot” though it is clearly identified as a Skipper, found throughout Central America and the Caribbean Islands and in most deep south states of the U.S. Here’s two shots from my garden in Atenas:

Tropical Checkered-Skipper, Atenas, Costa Rica
Tropical Checkered-Skipper, Atenas, Costa Rica

See all of my SKIPPERS Galleries.

¡Pura Vida!

 

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Late Butterflies – #2 of 4 – Rounded Metalmark

Thel Rounded Metalmark or Calephelis perditalis is one of several Metalmark butterflies still around my yard late in the season. Like the Satyrs, they stay close to the ground and seem to prefer grass over flowers, thus the wind blowing is not as much of a bother to them. This one is quite colorful and with intricate design work on sides, thus I include a top view, bottom view and a folded-wings or side view.

Rounded Metalmark – TOP VIEW
Rounded Metalmark – BOTTOM VIEW
Rounded Metalmark – SIDE VIEW
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Late Butterflies – #1 of 4 – Carolina Satyr

Before Christmas I get down to just a few butterflies and because of the Jan-Mar winds will not see many again until April or May just before the winter here or “rainy season” during which I see the most. The number one most seen during this off season in my yard is the Carolina Satyr which is a small butterfly about the size of the upper half of my thumb or less. The folded wings view has the distinctive Satyr markings with particular ones for the Carolina. But the open wings view is just plain brown.

My Carolina Satyr Photo Gallery.

¡Pura Vida!