Fun Tropical Insects

I did a post on “Other Insects” at Banana Azul earlier but did not include these 6 bugs that are all unidentified for now (and maybe for a long time). 🙂 I never cease to be amazed at the variety, colors, patterns and just the appearance of so many different insects here in Costa Rica. I will not label or comment on these 6 but just share the photos below . . .

Continue reading “Fun Tropical Insects”

Half My Banana Azul Butterflies

I initially was able to identify only about 15 of the 30 or more species of butterflies photographed at Hotel Banana Azul. Most of the remainder of the butterflies are various types of Skippers and hopefully I will eventually identify most of them! 🙂 I’m getting behind again, so not sure when I will get them posted but maybe tomorrow. I’m working on posts only 4 days ahead now, so we will see. 🙂

Arawacus Togarna, Hotel Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo, Limón, Costa Rica
Continue reading “Half My Banana Azul Butterflies”

Four-lined Whiptail

The Four-lined Whiptail (Chisbala de Cuatro Rayas) – Holcosus quadrilineatus is a medium-sized lizard found in the lowlands of both coasts of Costa Rica. There are three other similar lizards in Costa Rica. Here’s a couple of my shots of one at Hotel Banana Azul on the Beach Road.

Four-lined Whiptail, Hotel Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo, Limón
Four-lined Whiptail, Hotel Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo, Limón

See all of my CR Lizards GALLERIES.

¡Pura Vida!

Aging Slider or Mud Turtle

There is a little channel of water on two sides of the outdoor restaurant in Hotel Banana Azul with lots of Mesoamerican Sliders swimming and some fish. This one attracted my attention as he rested on these floating plants and though most likely a Slider, because he doesn’t show the usual yellow stripes on his neck, I gave the option of Mud Turtle in the title. 🙂

Most likely an aging Mesoamerican Slider, though possibly a Mud Turtle at Banana Azul.
Most likely an aging Mesoamerican Slider, though possibly a Mud Turtle at Banana Azul.

¡Pura Vida!

FLASH SALE!

15% OFF my Nature Photo Books!

October 3, 2023 through October 5, 2023 -THREE DAYS ONLY! You can order any of my photo books in My Blurb Bookstore at 15% off the price. At checkout use the Discount Code: BOOKFLASH15

I recommend my Costa Rica: A Nature Portfolio, which includes all my genres from birds and butterflies to sunsets and landscapes – A PERFECT COFFEE TABLE BOOK! Click the above title to see a free preview of every page!

¡Pura Vida!

Immature Green Basilisk

Much more popular than yesterday’s Striped Basilisk is the Green or Emerald Basilisk which, when full grown, look like a bright little dinosaur! 🙂 This immature one doesn’t have the head or back crests yet, so not as impressive, but still a colorful little reptile! 🙂 One more of the “Other Wildlife” photographed at Hotel Banana Azul, Caribe Sur. And this one is definitely found on both the Atlantic and Pacific Slopes of Costa Rica, though almost always in the lowlands near water. Both species of Basilisks are often called the “Jesus Christ Lizard” because they walk on water! 🙂

Emerald or Green Basilisk, Hotel Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo, Limón, Costa Rica
Emerald or Green Basilisk, Hotel Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo, Limón, Costa Rica

See many more and better photos in my Emerald Basilisk GALLERY!

¡Pura Vida!

Striped Basilisks

These are 3 different Striped Basilisks, Basiliscus vittatus with the Spanish names of Basiliscus Rayado (o B. Comun). Here’s one adult and two immature with two different colors of longitudinal stripes.

Adult Striped Basilisk (young adult)
Immature or Juvenile Striped Basilisk
Immature or Juvenile Striped Basilisk with lines white instead of more common pale yellow.

One of my books says these are only on the Atlantic side of Costa Rica, but I prove that incorrect in my Striped Basilisk Gallery with photos from both coasts. And note that none of the above photos show all of their tail which can be double the length of their body! 🙂

¡Pura Vida!

Birds at Banana Azul

Here’s photos of 8 species of birds I photographed at Hotel Banana Azul which is fewer than usual like everywhere has been this year! And there are 10 photos because the male and female Scarlet-rumped Tanager look like 2 different species 🙂 and the juvenile Tropical Kingbird looks like a different species from the adult, so I included a photo of each. These 8 are all fairly common species all over Costa Rica except the Wood-Rail which is only in wetlands or coastal rainforests like the location of Banana Azul where there has always been a family of Wood-Rails living in their garden by their lily pond. Note that I saw 9 totally different species at Gandoca-Manzanillo (link to those bird photos) and a photo of only one bird at Cahuita but it was my Lifer this trip. 🙂 Thus in this trip gallery there will be a total of 18 species of birds this year, which is fewer than usual but not bad! 🙂 I always get a lot of photos in the Caribbean side of Costa Rica!

Gray-cowled Wood-Rail, Hotel Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón, Costa Rica.
Continue reading “Birds at Banana Azul”