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| Heliconia Bud The hint is almost as beautiful as the exotic tropical flower that will follow in my garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica. Shot from my little garden bench by the door. |
Sweeping Out Yesterdays Volcano Dust
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| When my morning sweep includes gray dust, I know it erupted! Yesterday! It is 104 km away or about 65 miles. Wind blows the ash across the valley. No big deal! A broom does wonders! (Or vacuum for some.) |
See the eruption story and video at:
http://www.ticotimes.net/2016/07/25/costa-ricas-turrialba-volcano-erupts-sends-ash-3-km-high
THE GOOD NEWS: Erupting Volcanoes may help slow global warming. Interesting!
And to keep learning: Why are there volcanoes? Why do they erupt?
Heliconius Butterfly or Moth?
As you know, some butterflies live only a few days or weeks. And some of those decide to come into my house before they die! I sweep out dead insects every morning! I’ve had more than one of this particular species inside and one I found dead today (1st two photos). I am pretty sure it is in the Heliconia family but can’t place it in one of the known 29 subspecies. It seems to be like a Postman but they are usually red rather than orange with the black and white and different body. It is also similar to the Heliconius Linnaeus and the Heliconius Ismenius, but not exactly! So I’m calling it an Unidentified Heliconius Butterfly or Moth.
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| Moth or Butterfly? Moths have furry bodies like this guy but butterflies usually have brighter colors and club antennae like this. But there are exceptions to all rules and I need an expert to help identify this one! |
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| Back or bottom side of this butterfly/moth. Bottom is almost always totally different than the top side. |
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| They come in my always open doors, then try to get out a closed window screen. Not too smart. |
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| My moving flower arrangements inside. 🙂 |
See My Butterfly Photo Gallery now on SmugMug.
And if you like bugs, see also the Other Insects Photo Gallery all on my new site called
“Charlie Doggett’s COSTA RICA” where eventually I will have all my Costa Rica photos.
My Garden Art a Tourist Attraction?
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| My Garden Art is visited by other residents in Atenas and Anthony, who lives next door, likes to show off his work to friends/clients. |
Another Unidentified Butterfly/Moth
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| Unknown In My Home Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica Doesn’t quite match photos of crackers, black witch, duskywing or moths. |
BUTTERFLIES & MOTHS IN COSTA RICA:
There are about 1,251 species of butterflies and at least 8,000 species of moths. Butterflies and moths are common year round but are more present during the rainy season. Ten percent of known butterfly species worldwide reside in Costa Rica.[13]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_of_Costa_Rica
And be sure to see my NEW Butterfly Photo Gallery on SmugMug with 46 species as of today.
Watching it Rain
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| “I’m too busy to sit in the rocking chair and watch it rain!” Is what I used to say. But I just did it! And have several times recently. So far it has been a good rainy season. And I’m slowing down! |
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| Like Jewels! Rain drips off a cecropia leaf. |
Rain Song – Poem by Langston Hughes
Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain.
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain.
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| And After the Rain! |
Maraca Plant Blooming
My “Maraca” plant as it is called in Costa Rica or “Shampoo Ginger” in Asia and the states in English has greatly grown with many multiple plants and now a first bloom for this year. Both photos are from the hill above my garden because the bloom is difficult to see from the walkway. I expect more blooms soon. This one was hidden by my ground-cover and spreading ferns until the gardeners cleaned them out (mixed feelings about that!). Zingiber Spectablis
In Hawaii the spicy-smelling fresh rhizomes was at one time pounded and used as medicine for indigestion and other ailments. To ease a stomach ache, the ground and strained rhizome material was mixed with water and drunk. External: In traditional medicine, the rhizome was ground in a stone mortar with a stone pestle and mixed with a ripe Noni fruit to treat severe sprains. The pulp was placed in a cloth and loosely bound around the injured area. For a toothache or a cavity, the cooked and softened rhizome was pressed into the hollow and left for as long as was needed. Perhaps the most common use of the plant is as a shampoo and conditioner for the hair. The clear slimy juice present in the mature flower heads is excellent for softening and bringing shininess to the hair. It can be left in the hair or rinsed out. Hawaiian women often pick or cut the flowerheads of this plant in the forest, as they approach a pool or waterfall for a refreshing summer bath, leave the flowers atop a nearby rock, and then squeeze the sweet juices into their hair and over their bodies when the swim is completed .
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| Maraca Plant zoomed in at 300 mm |
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| Maraca Plant zoomed out at 75 mm |
The following description is from:
https://livingfarmacy.wordpress.com/herb-identification/the-gingers/
Maracas
Shampoo Ginger, Zingiber zerumbet
Pharacology: carminative, digestive aid
In Hawaii the spicy-smelling fresh rhizomes was at one time pounded and used as medicine for indigestion and other ailments. To ease a stomach ache, the ground and strained rhizome material was mixed with water and drunk. External: In traditional medicine, the rhizome was ground in a stone mortar with a stone pestle and mixed with a ripe Noni fruit to treat severe sprains. The pulp was placed in a cloth and loosely bound around the injured area. For a toothache or a cavity, the cooked and softened rhizome was pressed into the hollow and left for as long as was needed. Perhaps the most common use of the plant is as a shampoo and conditioner for the hair. The clear slimy juice present in the mature flower heads is excellent for softening and bringing shininess to the hair. It can be left in the hair or rinsed out. Hawaiian women often pick or cut the flowerheads of this plant in the forest, as they approach a pool or waterfall for a refreshing summer bath, leave the flowers atop a nearby rock, and then squeeze the sweet juices into their hair and over their bodies when the swim is completed .And a better photo on Project Noah at http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/77046013
Chrysina Beetle
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| Chrysina Beetle On my terrace, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Chrysina Beetle On my terrace, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
The identification is not certain but the closest name I could find for this guy who was dead for my morning sweep of the terrace. He appears to be one of the Scarab Beetles and the closest match photo online was a Chrysina. They also get upside-down or on their back when they are alive and it is funny to watch them try so hard to turn over. Sometimes they never make it. If I have the porch light on very long I get a lot of these and other beetles and other kinds of bugs. Beetles are the most numerous category of insects in Costa Rica.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
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| Yellow-billed Cuckoo My Garden in Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Yellow-billed Cuckoo My Garden in Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
This is another “first” bird for me which I saw today in a Yellow Bell Tree by my terrace. I had to share it first! Tomorrow I will explain why I went a week without a post. Then some more catch up!
Smashed Fer-de-Lance in My Street
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| The markings are very similar to a deadly Fer de Lance snake. Not positive. On a walk through the neighborhood we saw this on street in front of my house. |
Thought you would like this post the day after my”Al fresco Living” post! 🙂
Panic over a snake does not help anyone. Generally they are more afraid of people than we are of them is my belief. This is only the 4th snake I have seen anywhere in Costa Rica in 18 months! And I have been in several national parks where they are known to be more common. Common sense caution is my preferred way to react to something like this. So far no problem! Hope never! And if one ever does get in my house I will be asking the landlord for a screen door on my garden door. 🙂