A Bug with No Name

The AIs threw out possibilities but no match. My research shows the closest genus to be Nyctibora, with no exact species match found there. It is one genus of the many cockroaches and you can see a list of it’s possible species on Wikipedia. I photographed this one on the grasses of the cow pasture across the street.

Possibly a Nyctibora Genus insect, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica.
First shot of possibly a Nyctibora Genus insect (cockroach), Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica.

¡Pura Vida!

Banded Peacock

One of, if not the most frequently seen butterflies this year for me (a down year for butterflies). See my collection of them in the gallery: Banded Peacock (linked). It is another of those butterflies found only in Central America and the lower edges of Mexico.

¡Pura Vida!

Monarch

What seems like everyone’s favorite butterfly, the Monarch (my gallery link), will probably be in my garden as long as I have these Milkweed Flowers, the favorite of the butterfly which also eats other nectar, but it is the only plant leaves that Monarch Caterpillars will eat! This one might even have come from one of those caterpillars that ate all the leaves off of one of my Milkweeds back in August! 🙂

Monarch on a Milkweed Flower, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

Zilpa Longtail

An unusual and brilliant Skipper that only a few of us have reported on iNaturalist. See my other photos in the gallery: Zilpa Longtail.

Zilpa Longtail, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

See how others have reported this species on iNaturalist and on BAMONA.

¡Pura Vida!

Click title to see post online.

Orange-barred Sulphur

This Orange-barred Sulphur (my gallery link) is a colorful yellow butterfly found from Florida and South Texas south through Central America to Brazil, including every low altitude place in Costa Rica. Read more and see other people’s observations on BAMONA and for specifically Costa Rica on iNaturalistCR.

Orange-barred Sulphur, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Orange-barred Sulphur, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

Click title to see post online.

Malachite

One of my many “favorite” butterflies is this Malachite (my gallery link) which I recently shared one of from Hotel Colinas del Sol nearby and this one was one of the few in my garden this year, on a Lantana flower.

¡Pura Vida!

Statira Sulphur

This is one of those peculiar butterflies in the Pieridae Family (whites-yellows-sulphurs) that can sometime appear more yellow (as this one) or in my experiences is usually more white or “whitish.” 🙂 It is the Statira Sulphur (my gallery link) seen frequently in my garden though this one was at the nearby Hotel Colinas del Sol during my overnight there for a house fumigation. It is found mostly in Central America with other Costa Rica sightings seen on iNaturalist Costa Rica where I am the lead observer and for those seen in Florida and South Texas in the states, check out BAMONA where I keep CR represented. 🙂

¡Pura Vida!

Note that as of today, we are still having a normal October with rain every afternoon and all are hoping that it will be sufficient to bring the water table back up from our lack of normal rain May-September. The dry season starts in December and the amount of water in the rainy season is important for plants, water table, etc. Some fear a shortage of water during the dry season and possibly more grass fires if this rain doesn’t continue through November.

Laverna Metalmark

The Laverna Metalmark, Calephelis laverna (my gallery link) is almost identical to the Carolina Metalmark in the States, while this one is found from Costa Rica to Brazil.

¡Pura Vida!

White Peacock

Another favorite butterfly was seen in the cow pasture in September, the White Peacock (my gallery link). They are so different from the Banded Peacock, I sometimes wonder why they are both called peacocks. 🙂 But, “A rose by any other name . . .” I definitely don’t see as many of these as his “Banded” cousin, but I have photos of them from all over the country, literally coast to coast.

White Peacock, Roca Verde Cow Pasture, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

Blue-winged Helicopter Damselfly

This is a “lifer” or first time seen damselfly for me! It was alongside one of the trails in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, Manzanillo, Limón, Cost Rica week-before-last. It is more striking or noticeable in a thick forest like that than a lot of the dragon & damselflies. Again, you never know when nor where you will see what, but I thank God for each new nature experience wherever I am! 🙂

Blue-winged Helicopter Damselfly, Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, Manzanillo, Limón, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

I have a total of 4 shots in my new gallery: Blue-wing Helicopter and if you like damsel and dragonflies, check out my others in: DRAGONFLIES & DAMSELFLIES CR (52+)