This one I’ve seen multiple times in my garden but still love him: the Tropical Checkered Skipper, Burnsius oileus. You can see my other photos in my gallery or what others have submitted to butterfliesandmoths.
Tropical Checkered Skipper
Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak
The Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon bazochii, (butterfliesandmoths link) is a new species for me and a nice one! I have these same 3 images in my gallery, so I won’t link to it. But I was fortunate to get both the side view and a top view, which really helps with the identification! And with all the wind this year, few ever land with wing open and it is very difficult to catch one in flight on the camera as I did here! 🙂
Fawn-spotted Skipper
A new butterfly for me and like most now, in my garden! 🙂 The Cymaenes trebius or common name of Fawn-spotted Skipper which I think was a poor choice (many others look more like fawns) but I didn’t make the names for these little jewels! 🙂 Here’s one photo and you can see all four of my shots in Fawn-spotted Skipper GALLERY or see photos that others have submitted from Central America, Mexico and South Texas in butterfliesandmoths.org where you too can submit your butterfly photos for research and sharing with the world! Please share!
¡Pura Vida!
Banded Peacock Butterfly
The old regular Banded Peacock, Anartia fatima (linked to my gallery), is back and I will see him regularly now throughout the rainy season, one of the most numerous butterflies in my garden, but also seen all over Costa Rica as the above link to my gallery will show. These 4 shots are from two different days recently.
Great Southern White
Not new for me, but an understated, simple beauty, I think – the Great Southern White, Ascia monuste (my gallery link) and here are 3 recent photos from my garden . . .
Red-spotted Scrub-Hairstreak
This Red-spotted Scrub-Hairstreak or Strymon ziba is another new species of butterflies for me! Also found only in Central America and southern Mexico. See more of him on butterfliesandmoths. Here’s one of my shots and you can see more in my gallery: Red-spotted Scrub-Hairstreak.
¡Pura Vida!
LAST DAY! 20% OFF ALL BOOKS!
Blurb is offering a flash sale on all my photo books for 3 days, April 21-23. Use the discount code: FLASHAPRIL
Tropical Greenstreak
The Tropical Greenstreak, Cyanophrys herodotus, (linked to butterfliesandmoths) is another new species for me this year AND another one found only in Central America & Mexico! 🙂 It is also earlier than I had been getting new species in past years. This makes about 4 or 5 new species before the month of May this year, which surprises me because it is so hot and windy this year. But then, nature never ceases to surprise! 🙂 There are only a few more shots of this same tiny green fellow in my Tropical Greenstreak GALLERY, but I expect I will be adding more in the future. Heres 3 shots for the blog . . .
Dancing Swallowtails!
I’m not sure that I can explain why, but these Polydamas Swallowtails reminded me of flying acrobats or dancers as they swoop in and out of the flowers for their feeding. Fun to watch! 🙂 They are Polydamas Swallowtail, Battus polydamas (link to my Polydamas GALLERY with many more shots of their graceful flying and perching).
Ceraunus Blue: Corrected Version of Post
I made a mistake on the identification of this photo when this post was first published. I called it a Western Pygmy-Blue, Brephidium exilis which was incorrect. The correct identification of this butterfly is the Ceraunus Blue, Hemiargus ceraunus (linked to my gallery where I have others). And you can see others’ photos from throughout Central America and the southern half of the United States on butterfliesandmoths.
¡Pura Vida!
A Rare Butterfly – Leuce Yellow
I’ve seen and photographed a lot of Yellows, but not only is this one new to me, there is only one other on butterfliesandmoths and it was submitted from the Dominican Republic, West Indies. I got several shots almost identical to this one on the tiny wildflower and then he was off, not to be seen again! 🙂
Butterflies of America has photos only of the old-fashion pinned specimens while iNaturalist has several live photos from South America & West Indies, if you click on “View More” after their first little photos. Both of those sites have a little bit of info on the species though they don’t include it being in Costa Rica! 🙂 But that is okay because being in the geographical center of the isthmus between North & South America, we get migrants of all species from both continents! (And West Indies!) Maybe my photos will change the ranges for this butterfly on some of these “official” websites! 🙂 Right now they all say that it is only found in the West Indies (Caribbean Islands) and South America. I fooled them, didn’t I! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!