Category: Wildlife

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Photos of 350 Species!

I just published what is probably the largest Costa Rica Butterfly & Moth book available anywhere. Click the front cover below or go to this bookstore link for a free preview of all 86 pages! https://www.blurb.com/b/12881815-350-costa-rica-butterflies-and-moths

CLICK above cover image to go to a free preview of all pages.

This will probably be my last butterfly book, so I encourage you to get one now or at least go look at it. Every species includes the available English & Spanish Common Names plus the Latin Scientific Name which is available for all, while a few species don’t have “common names.” 🙂 There are three rare butterfly species included that are rarely ever seen.

And for you neighbors of mine in Residential Roca Verde, don’t forget that I have a smaller 7×7 inches book of just Roca Verde Butterflies with 180 species photographed here, mostly in my garden.

¡Pura Vida!

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Laverna Metalmark

One of the most seen butterflies in my garden was seen the first time this year a couple of days ago, so maybe we are about to get back to normal (if the wind will just stop blowing!). 🙂 See my photo collection at Laverna Metalmark.

Laverna Metalmark, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Juno Silverspot

As butterflies slowly return, even in the wind, I welcome another former regular, the Juno Silverspot (my gallery link) even if not really good photos. I’ve seen him flying by more than landing anywhere, but barely managed to get these two shots, side view & top.

Juno Silverspot, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Juno Silverspot, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Ziba Scrub-Hairstreak

I’m trying to be more patient, just sitting on the terrace long enough to see something like this hairstreak land on one of my flowers for maybe 20 seconds, meaning that one then has to be quick to snap a photo! 🙂 This one is not a stranger to my garden as you can see in the gallery: Ziba Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon ziba. The former English common name was “Red-spotted Scrub-Hairstreak” and the Spanish common name still is. I guess some committee somewhere makes all these name changes for both birds and butterflies.

And, with it still being quite windy, I’m forced to be patient and wait for one to show up in the lulls of the wind. And the same patience is needed for an interesting bird to land in a tree too, as they eventually will, even on windy days. 🙂

Ziba Scrub-Hairstreak, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Leopard Moth

My first sighting of one of these, on my bathroom wall yesterday. There are more species of moths than butterflies, but most are nocturnal, thus I see fewer.

Leopard Moth, Hypercompe caudata, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

This moth is in the Erebidae Family of moths, the family from which I’ve seen my most moths. See the gallery (linked above) to see some of the others in this moth family.

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Copper Anole

Rainy Season has definitely started, with rain every afternoon now, BUT it is still windy! Meaning that there are still not as many birds or butterflies as usual. But I did find this anole on my terrace the other day, and fairly confident of the identification of Copper Anole, Anolis cupreus (my gallery link).

Copper Anole, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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An Old Regular is Back!

This Banded Peacock (my gallery link) was back in my garden yesterday for the first time in a while. I’ve also seen a couple of species of Sulphurs and the Yellow that flies around high up in the trees. But the only regular continues to be the Polydamas Swallowtail which seems to handle the wind easier than the other. The wind is lessening some now, but there is still wind and those gusts which are difficult for butterflies. I’m trying to be patient. 🙂 And oh yes, another big rain yesterday afternoon! So maybe the rainy season has started early this year! 🙂

Banded Peacock on a Lantana flower (Lantana camara ), Atenas, Alajuela

¡Pura Vida!

And I hope that any readers who live in Residential Roca Verde will check out my new photo book: Roca Verde Butterflies with 180 species photographed in Roca Verde. Click that link for a free preview of every page! Roca Verde seems to be a significant haven for butterflies! Including a couple of species rarely seen according to iNaturalist.

🙂

CLICK the above book cover for a free preview of all pages.
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Yellow-faced Grassquit

Looks over the grass (where they feed) from a neighbor’s fence. See more of this interesting bird in my Yellow-faced Grassquit Gallery. They are plentiful in the cow pasture across the street. Grass seeds are their favorite food.

Yellow-faced Grassquit, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Polydamas Swallowtail

On many days it seemed that these were the only butterflies that could manage in the wind, and many had broken or damaged wings. See more of this most frequent Swallowtail for my garden in the gallery: Polydamas Swallowtail. It now looks like it will be mid to late May before the winds slow down enough to allow for more butterflies.

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

¡Pura Vida!

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Blue-vented Hummingbird

This little guy with the bright blue tail was the first hummingbird I photographed in this house, in a neighbor’s Mimosa Tree, back in 2015! He now hangs out a lot in my Porter Weeds and is similar to the Rufous Tails that are dominant in my garden, but is more colorful. Blue vs Rufous (rusty-brown)! 🙂 See more in my gallery: Blue-vented Hummingbird.

Blue-vented Hummingbird appears to wear white socks in this pix! 🙂

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