COSTA RICA ​INSECTS

​In January of 2014, we visited Costa Rica.  The first week, we stayed at a grand villa on the Pacific Coast. The Villa Mayana was luxurious — both lodge and grounds — but the best thing about it was the incredible insects on the grounds and in the villa's rainforest. An added advantage was, unlike in rainforests, there was a a lot of light to take pictures. ​As you will see in the photos I took below, "incredible" is an understatement!  Some of these insects were found in the gardens, some on the walls of the villa, some on the balconies, some a gift from the villa gardener, a few in the villa's rainforest or villa plantation. 

​Click on a photo to make it larger.

The view of the Pacific Coast from the grounds of The Villa Mayana

Thorn Bug adult females and nymphs --Treehoppers (Umbonia crassicornis)

Exoskeleton of a Thorn Bug nymph

Well-camouflaged Hooded Mantis (Choeradodis), top view

Hooded Mantis (Choeradodis), looking like a space alien

Hooded Mantis (Choeradodis) planning its flight

Frangipani Hawkmoth (Pseudosphinx tetrio)

Tiny Planthopper nymph

Mantid (Pseudacanthops caelebs?) succeeding in looking like a dead leaf

Mantid (Pseudacanthops caelebs?)

Giant Grasshopper (Tropidacris cristata)

A Giant Grasshopper, about 5 inches long

Tortoise Beetle (Charidotella?)

Giant Helmeted Katydid (Phyllophorella woodfordi?) on a balcony plant.

Do you see the Mantid on the plant? Click on the photo for better viewing.

Bark Mantis (Liturgusa annulipes)

Stick Insect, Phassmatodea -- not a twig

Treehopper (Membracis dorsata)

The villa gardener, Nelson Piedra Fallas, showed us these Wax-tailed Planthoppers (Pterodictya reticularis) at the top of a tall tree in the garden. They produce long wax plumes so that predators will get a mouthful of wax instead of a juicy planthopper!

This beautiful Shield Bug looks like it is made out of green and maroon leather.

This Weevil (Cholis cinctus) tucks its snout under its body when not searching for food.

Weevil (Cholis cinctus)

Twig Girdler Beetle (Ecthoea quadricornis). A Twig Girdler cuts a girdle around a branch into which she lays her eggs. The eggs hatch into larvae and feed on the dead branch.

Notice the way the antennae of the Twig Girdler Beetle fit into grooves on its back. This anatomical feature enhances its already amazing camouflage to make it look even more like a piece of wood.

You can see how large this Hardwood Stump Borer (Mallodon dasystomus) is by comparing it to my husband Ron's hand.

Gorgeous (not a scientific term) Long-horned Beetle (Callipogon?)

Hewitson's Longwing Butterfly (Heliconius hewitsonii)

White-barred Emerald (Nemoria) resting on the Villa wall at night

Tiger-striped Longwing (Heliconius ismenius clarescens)

This very large Eumorpha phorbas Moth, with a wingspan of about 4-1/2 inches, visited us on our balcony at the Villa at night.

Tiger Spider (Argiope savignyi) female. Notice the spider web!

Another Tiger Spider female. Compare her web to the one above.

Golden 0rb-weaver (Nephila clavipes), dorsal view. These spiders are large, with bodies typically 1.5 to 2 inches long.

Golden 0rb-weaver (Nephila clavipes), ventral view. Notice spinneret, low on the abdomen.