Category: Plants

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Xandari Landscapes

I got 8 more butterflies today and at least one a “lifer” or new one for me, but identifying and processing hundreds of photos is just too much to share those today and the birds were just a very few! It is quite windy here this time of year.

So for today’s post, the easy way out, a handful of vistas from the hotel, many from my room and most of these are untouched straight out of the camera to facilitate my limited time for this post today!  🙂 One shot of last night’s sunset from my room just for the email announcement, and then all in a slide show that follows . . .

Sunset from Villa 19, Xandari Costa Rica, Alajuela, 31 January 2023

 

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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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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 – #3 of 4 – Banded Peacock

More like the usual size of butterflies, these Banded Peacocks, Anartia fatima, are the only larger butterflies around my house now unless you count speeding Yellows which are really smaller. I see this species year around and all over Costa Rica. Here’s a couple of shots of two possibly trying to mate and one traditional shot showing their colors and patterns.

Band Peacock, Atenas, Costa Rica

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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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Arenal 2022 GALLERY Finished

It seems to be taking me longer to complete my trip galleries – just a slow old man!  🙂

But one reason was that it is slow identifying 32 species of butterflies (several new to me), 29 species of birds (1 lifer), and 13 species of other wildlife with lots of nice frog shots this time! These trip galleries are my main photo galleries to which I link for photos in the bird, butterfly and other subject galleries. If you are considering different lodges in Costa Rica as a visitor or one who lives here and travels like me, these trip galleries are a good source of real information about what you can see in a particular place.  Enjoy!

Index Page of my Arenal 2022 TRIP GALLERY. — CLICK IMAGE TO VISIT GALLERY

Or click this linked address:  https://charliedoggett.smugmug.com/TRIPS/2022-December-22-28-Arenal-Observatory-Lodge

¡Pura Vida!

 

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Designed by Nature at Arenal

And this will be the last of my Arenal posts for a while, realizing I’ve done more than 3 weeks worth! And this final post will be considered the weirdest one by some or what I used to call “Leaves and Nature Things” and now refer to as “Designed by Nature” or “Nature as Art” which is also my photography brand.  I debated about naming each photo and then decided to let your imagination flow!  🙂  I will give physical identities to most items when I get them in my gallery – but for now, watch the slide show as a fairy tale!  But first an image for the email!  🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

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