Category: Wildlife

Posted on

Second Group of Butterflies . . .

. . . from my brief two-night trip to Xandari Resort in Alajuela continues to show the amazing number of butterflies at this forest hotel less than an hour away from my house! I’m still not sure of the total and have four I can’t identify, but I will share 9 or 10 more tomorrow as the final batch of butterflies from Xandari before focusing on those around my house again.

As usual, one photo here for the email announcement of the blog post, then followed online with a gallery of all 10 butterflies. And again 11 photos because I want to show the big difference in the top and bottom side of the wings of one, the Starred Oxeo, even though almost all butterflies have different patterns on top and bottom, with this one just being a more drastic difference. Enjoy!

Ochre-patched Gemmed-Satyr
Continue reading “Second Group of Butterflies . . .”
Posted on

First 10 of 30 Butterfly Species!

I already knew that Xandari was good for butterflies, but really didn’t think I would photograph this many species! And I’m still processing the photos and identifying, but it now looks like about 30 species. I could share one a day for the next 30 days but that would not be fair to you who are faithful readers of this blog, so just 3 days of Xandari butterflies! 🙂

One shot for the email notice of the blog and then a gallery of all 10 with actually 11 photos because one is so different with folded wings that you must see both views! 🙂

Julia Heliconian
Continue reading “First 10 of 30 Butterfly Species!”
Posted on

Little Banner

Another new butterfly for me today! I first saw him/her from my kitchen on the outside of the window screen. I snapped a couple of shots and went outside for a different view in the garden but he quickly flew away. This is another tropical butterfly found in Central and South America. These shots will be just the second ones to be posted on butterfliesandmoths, when they are up (they were not a few minutes ago). 🙂 Here are four different shots:

Little Banner, Nica flavilla, Atenas, Costa Rica
Continue reading “Little Banner”
Posted on

Orange-barred Sulphur

The Orange-barred Sulphur, Phoebis philea (Link to butterflies&moths website) is one that does not land with open wings very much, meaning you seldom see the orange bars! And when he lands with folded wings I think he looks a lot like the Cloudless Sulphur, having similar spots on the bottom of both their wings, though Clouded has a faint brown border to help you see the difference. My Orange-barred Gallery includes these plus the first one I photographed back in 2015 at the Yorkin Bribri Indigenous Reserve in Limón Province.

Orange-barred Sulphur, Atenas
Continue reading “Orange-barred Sulphur”
Posted on

Brazilian Skipper

Another first time seen butterfly for me and this time it is one seen in the lower half of the U.S, Calpodes ethlius or Brazilian Skipper (link to butterflies&moths site). It is found from Argentina north through maybe half of the USA.

Brazilian Skipper, Atenas, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

Posted on

Frosted Flasher

The Frosted Flasher, Astraptes alardus (butterflies & moths website) is found from Argentina throughout Central America to Mexico and Cuba. This is my first record of one in my garden, though several flashers can look alike. 🙂 The “frosted” is that wide white band on the underneath side of his wing. Here’s 4 photos from yesterday and you can see more in my Frosted Flasher Gallery. The butterflies are abundant here this year! 🙂

Frosted Flasher, Atenas, Costa Rica
Continue reading “Frosted Flasher”
Posted on

White Angled-Sulphur

The White Angled Sulphur, Anteos clorinde (link to butterflies&moths site), is not new to me and when I get my photos loaded to that website I think I will have some of the better photos there, but I haven’t gotten to my White Angled Sulphur GALLERY yet. 🙂 Check it out!

I’ve been very busy with so many butterflies to photograph in my garden daily (and almost no birds for some reason) plus I still haven’t caught up with identifying and approving all the submissions from Costa Rica to the butterflies & moths website (very time-consuming!) that I don’t have time to get my own photos submitted! 🙂

Here’s 3 shots of today’s White Angled-Sulphur . . .

White Angled-Sulphur, Atenas, Costa Rica
Continue reading “White Angled-Sulphur”
Posted on

Pura Vida Inspiration

I read three things today that helped me realize again how fortunate I am to be living in such an amazing little country as Costa Rica! AND how much I have slowed down, calmed down, and embraced nature since I’ve been living here, eight years this coming December! Here’s links to the three inspirational articles I read today . . .

Continue reading “Pura Vida Inspiration”
Posted on

Ruby-spotted Swallowtail

Another butterfly today that I’ve seen only one other time, and yes, it looks a lot like some of the Cattlehearts (which are related to Swallowtails), but is one of five black & red & white butterflies labeled “Swallowtails.” You can read a little about the Papilio anchisiades or Ruby-spotted Swallowtail on butterfliesandmoths.org, which are found from Argentina north to South Texas, and for only a few more pix, check out my Ruby-spotted Swallowtail Gallery.

Ruby-spotted Swallowtail or Pailio anchisiades, Atenas, Costa Rica
Continue reading “Ruby-spotted Swallowtail”
Posted on

A Rare Butterfly Find

Eusalasia Cheles is the scientific name of this new butterfly for me and it will be new for butterfliesandmoths.org website that I volunteer for after my request to add it as a species is processed and my photos will then be their first! 🙂 My garden is becoming a rich source of butterflies!

It is found only in Costa Rica and Panama and there is not much online about it with only pictures of pinned specimens on the most prolific butterfliesofamerica.com. For the common name, they just reverse the scientific name, calling it “Cheles Eusalasia” while my Butterflies of Mexico and Central America book has the common name of “Dimorphic Sombermark,” with “sombermarks” being a subspecies category of “metalmarks.” Here are my 5 photos of one that first came in my house before I shooed him back into the garden! 🙂

Euselasia Cheles, Atenas, Costa Rica
Continue reading “A Rare Butterfly Find”