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This is just my third time to see this unusual Yellow (among the many Yellows!). The Barred Yellow, Eurema daira (linked to my gallery) is found from Argentina north to the deep south of the U.S. It’s uniqueness is the brown, orange & yellow bars on the top of wings. The side view is similar to many Whites & Yellows. I’ve seen it twice here in Atenas and once at Arenal Observatory (where I’m headed tomorrow). See photos from other countries including the U.S. at butterfliesandmoths.
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.
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! 🙂
are the two common English names for this beautiful tropical flowering shrub or small tree that comes in white, pink or red varieties. This white one that I pass on my walks to town one website called the “Plumeria rubra var. acutifolia.”
When I lived in West Africa it was called Frangipani by both English and French speakers and by most tribal languages. In Spanish, frangipanis are also referred to as alhelí, alhelí cimarrón, and suche, though in Costa Rica they are called frangipani, plumeria, juche or cacalojoche. Every Central American country seems to have a different name! 🙂
Here’s 2 photos of the one at a house on 8th Avenue in Atenas . . .
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!
One of four species of Saltators in Costa Rica, Buff-throated Saltator, Saltator maximus (my gallery link), is one of the more common species quietly eating fruit, berries and seeds in the trees from lowlands to 1800 meters on both slopes of Costa Rica and found from Mexico to South America. Read more about on eBird. Here’s 3 shots from my garden in Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica . . .
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.
Well, at least close to towns like Atenas or anywhere within an hour or two from San Jose. But from my porch, or terrace they call it here, I zoomed in on one of the hills nearby that looked undeveloped. The only sign of humans seems to be one small or moderate-sized house at the end of a dirt road, which could be a cool place to live! 🙂
Of course Costa Rica has more than 25% of all land protected as wilderness national parks, reserves, or wildlife refuges, but in the more populated Central Valley or anywhere near the capital of San Jose, development is growing rapidly. I am very much aware of how many more cars are on the streets and highways now than just 10 years ago! Plus there seems to be construction work somewhere all the time, even in little Atenas! So it was fun to zoom in on one of the Atenas hills and see only one small house! 🙂
See more of my Roca Verde Terrace Views in that gallery.
¡Pura Vida!
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 . . .
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!
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