Costa Rica July 1994

This was our second trip to Costa Rica, having organized and led a small group tour there in 1992. The trip was timed to coincide with the Costa Rican rainy season, a time when butterflies emerge en masse in the seasonally dry Guanacaste region in the north. The price to be paid, of course, was that the regions we visited further south were heavily inundated, so butterfly watching in these areas was confined to mornings and early afternoons, before the arrival of the torrential daily rains.

We spent the first 4 days at the American-owned Rancho Naturalista at Tuis, Turrialba. The small rancho is set in mid-elevation transitional rainforest at circa 1400m altitude, with short trails through relict primary forest, secondary forest, and a regenerating clearing.

On sunny mornings, butterflies appeared in excellent numbers with about 95 species recorded. The highlights included Morpho helenor, which patrolled regularly along the tracks, the almost fluorescent orange Dryadula phaetusa, and the stunning black and orange Longwing Heliconius hecale. The most exciting species, however, was an immaculate dazzling iridescent blue Skipper Astraptes fulgerator, which basked in the morning sun for just long enough for one photo. A few moments earlier, we had come across a group of about 30 Phoebis sennae roosting in a small bush. They made a beautiful sight, with the golden morning sunlight streaming through their wings.

At night, the forest was alive with the chirping of myriads of frogs and insects. I left a tungsten lamp switched each night hoping to attract a few moths onto the verandah. Each morning we woke before dawn to investigate and found the walls and ceiling covered in several hundred moths. The variety of shapes, cryptic patterns, and bizarre resting postures adopted by the moths was amazing. There were hordes of beautiful Geometrids, masses of brightly colored Pyralidae, lots of very attractive Tussocks, Prominents, and Leopards, some stunning Hawkmoths, and a couple of Automeris Bull’s-eye Silkmoths. Certainly the greatest moth bonanza in all my years of traveling.

From Rancho Naturalista, we then transferred by road to Los Innocentes, a cattle ranch set below Volcan Orosi in the dry Guanacaste region. For 4 days we were able to explore a variety of habitats including lush grassland, flowery cattle pastures, relict riverbank forest, and a small orchard where fermenting fruit attracted many butterflies. Many beautiful species abounded, including the Crackers Hamadryas feronia, februa, and the incredibly beautiful calico blue amphinome, all perching head-downwards on the tree trunks. Other species included the brilliant orange Dryas iulia nectaring at Lantana, a stunning blue Skipper Paches loxus, the dazzling blue Morpho helenor, and the gorgeous green and brown Malachite Siproeta stelenes.

Along the muddy edges of a stream, a group of Phoebis sennae congregated at cattle urine. Other puddling species included the cream-banded Queen Swallowtail Heraclides androgeus, the gorgeous Red Daggerwing Marpesia petreus, probably the most beautifully shaped butterfly in the world, and the skipper Atarnes sallei, prettily marked in white, orange, and black. In addition to butterflies, Los Innocentes had helicopter damselflies, beautiful cicadas, and several huge and attractive crickets.

Our next destination was Selva Verde, situated on the Rio Sarapiqui, and surrounded by primary and secondary forest, cattle pasture, and banana and palm plantations. We had torrential rain every afternoon commencing about 3 pm, but in the mornings we had about 4 hours to explore the many butterflies in the surrounding forest.

The primary forest behind the lodge was not especially productive, but across the road there were a few hectares of mildly degraded forest where dozens of beautiful species flew along the main track and on the plethora of narrow forest trails. Among the highlights were Morpho helenor, several very attractive Pyrgine skippers, the beautiful transparent Satyrines Cithaerias pireta and Dulcedo polita, and the stunning Metalmark Eurybia lycisca, seen nectaring at Heliconia flowers. We were also very fortunate to get close to a group of Parides childrenae, whose black wings are marked with patches of scarlet and metallic green. To see these lovely butterflies fluttering around bushes at the edge of the forest was certainly one of the highlights of the trip.

We rounded off the trip with a relaxing 3 days at Marenco, a coastal biological station on the Osa peninsula. Butterflies here were generally scarcer than at the other sites but included a few species such as Pierella luna, Euptoieta hegesia, and Heliconius sapho that we had not seen elsewhere.

The behavior of Heliconius erato was fascinating to watch. We found a group of males aggressively jostling around a chrysalis, attempting to copulate with it. A frantic battle took place the instant the female hatched from the chrysalis, as all the males struggled to copulate with her, not even giving her time to expand and dry her wings. One of the males succeeded, and the mated pair then had to endure the attention of the remaining males which were extremely persistent, constantly trying to prise the pair apart. Eventually, as dusk approached, the unsuccessful males started to disperse. I found the pair again the next morning still copulated, with 2 persistent males that had returned and were continuing to harass them.

Species recorded in Costa Rica in July 1994

All species listed below were identified from photographs by Adrian Hoskins. The Papilionoidea were identified using DeVries and d’Abrera for reference. The Hesperioidea were identified using Lewis.

Site	Family	subfamily	Genus	species
Marenco	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Anatrytone	barbara
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Anatrytone	perfida
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Anthoptus	epictetus
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Callimormus	alsimo
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Callimormus	corades
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Calpodes	ethlius
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Cymaenes	tripunctus
Marenco	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Decinea	percosius
Marenco	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Nastra	julia
Marenco	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Panoquina	lucas
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Parphorus	storax
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Polites	vibex
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Saliana	placens
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Synapte	malitiosa
Marenco	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Vehilius	inca
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Hesperiinae	Vehilius	inca
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Achlyodes	busirus
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Achlyodes	busirus
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Achlyodes	mithridates
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Achlyodes	mithridates
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Aguna	asander
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Anisochoria	pedaliodina
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Antigonus	erosus
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Astraptes	alector
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Astraptes	fulgerator
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Atarnes	sallei
Marenco	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Autochton	bipunctatus
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Autochton	neis
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Autochton	neis
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Bolla	giselus
Marenco	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Chioides	catillus
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Cogia	cajeta
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Cycloglypha	thrasibulus
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Gorgythion	begga
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Grais	stigmaticus
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Helias	phalaenoides
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Heliopetes	arsalte
Marenco	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Heliopetes	arsalte
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Heliopetes	arsalte
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Heliopetes	laviana
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Heliopetes	petrus
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Paches	loxus
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Polythrix	asine
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Pyrgus	oileus
Marenco	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Pyrgus	oileus
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Pyrgus	oileus
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Pyrgus	oileus
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Sostrata	bifasciata
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Staphylus	ceos
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Staphylus	mazans
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Telemiades	amphione
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Urbanus	dorantes
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Urbanus	doryssus
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Urbanus	esmeraldus
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Urbanus	proteus
Marenco	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Urbanus	proteus
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Urbanus	proteus
Marenco	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Urbanus	simplicius
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Urbanus	simplicius
Marenco	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Urbanus	teleus
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Urbanus	teleus
R. Naturalista	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Urbanus	viterboana
Los Innocentes	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Xenophanes	tryxus
Marenco	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Xenophanes	tryxus
Selva Verde	Hesperiidae	Pyrginae	Xenophanes	tryxus
R. Naturalista	Lycaenidae	Polyommatinae	Cupido	comyntas
Los Innocentes	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Arawacus	aetolus
Marenco	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Arawacus	aetolus
R. Naturalista	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Arawacus	aetolus
Selva Verde	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Arawacus	aetolus
R. Naturalista	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Arawacus	sito
Los Innocentes	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Calycopis	isobeon
Marenco	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Calycopis	isobeon
R. Naturalista	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Calycopis	isobeon
Marenco	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Calycopis	pisis
Selva Verde	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Calycopis	pisis
Selva Verde	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Calycopis	puppius
Selva Verde	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Electrostrymon	endymion
R. Naturalista	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Laothus	barajo
Selva Verde	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Ostrinotes	halciones
R. Naturalista	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Rekoa	meton
Marenco	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Strymon	bazochii
R. Naturalista	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Strymon	megarus
R. Naturalista	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Strymon	megarus
Los Innocentes	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Strymon	mulucha
Marenco	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Strymon	rufofusca
Selva Verde	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Strymon	serapio
Los Innocentes	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Tmolus	echion
Marenco	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Tmolus	echion
R. Naturalista	Lycaenidae	Theclinae	Tmolus	echion
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Biblis	hyperia
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Dynamine	postverta
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Eunica	mygdonia
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Hamadryas	amphinome
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Hamadryas	februa
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Hamadryas	feronia
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Hamadryas	glauconome
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Marpesia	berania
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Marpesia	chiron
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Marpesia	petreus
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Mestra	dorcas
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Biblidinae	Pyrrhogyra	otolais
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Charaxinae	Archaeoprepona	amphimachus
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Charaxinae	Archaeoprepona	amphimachus
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Charaxinae	Archaeoprepona	demophon
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Charaxinae	Archaeoprepona	demophon
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Charaxinae	Fountainea	glycerium
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Charaxinae	Memphis	forreri
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Charaxinae	Prepona	laertes
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Charaxinae	Siderone	galanthis
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Danaus	eresimus
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Danaus	gilippus
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Danaus	plexippus
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Danaus	plexippus
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Danainae	Lycorea	halia
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Agraulis	vanillae
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Agraulis	vanillae
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Dione	juno
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Dryadula	phaetusa
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Dryadula	phaetusa
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Dryas	iulia
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Dryas	iulia
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Dryas	iulia
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Dryas	iulia
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Eueides	aliphera
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Euptoieta	hegesia
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	charithonia
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	charithonia
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	charithonia
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	charithonia
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	cydno
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	cydno
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	erato
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	erato
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	erato
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	erato
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	hecale
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	hecale
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	hecale
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	hecalesia
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	ismenius
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	melpomene
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	melpomene
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	melpomene
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	sapho
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	sara
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	sara
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Heliconius	sara
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Laparus	doris
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Laparus	doris
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Laparus	doris
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Philaethria	dido
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Heliconiinae	Philaethria	dido
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Ithomiinae	Godyris	nero
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Ithomiinae	Ithomia	patilla
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Ithomiinae	Ithomia	patilla
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Ithomiinae	Mechanitis	lysimnia
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Ithomiinae	Mechanitis	lysimnia
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Ithomiinae	Mechanitis	lysimnia
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Ithomiinae	Mechanitis	menapis
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Ithomiinae	Mechanitis	menapis
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Ithomiinae	Mechanitis	polymnia
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Ithomiinae	Melinaea	lilis
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Ithomiinae	Melinaea	lilis
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Ithomiinae	Tithorea	tarricina
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Adelpha	barnesia
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Adelpha	cytherea
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Adelpha	cytherea
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Adelpha	cytherea
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Adelpha	cytherea
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Adelpha	serpa
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Limenitidinae	Adelpha	zina
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Melitaeinae	Microtia	elva
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Antirrhea	philoctetes
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Antirrhea	philoctetes
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Antirrhea	pterocopha
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Caligo	atreus
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Caligo	brasiliensis
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Caligo	telamonius
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Eryphanis	automedon
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Mimoblepia	staudingeri
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Morpho	helenor
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Morpho	helenor
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Morpho	helenor
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Morpho	helenor
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Opsiphanes	cassina
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Morphinae	Opsiphanes	tamarindi
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Anartia	fatima
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Anartia	fatima
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Anartia	fatima
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Anartia	fatima
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Anartia	jatrophae
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Anartia	jatrophae
R. Naturalista	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Anartia	jatrophae
Selva Verde	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Anartia	jatrophae
Marenco	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Anthanassa	ardys
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Anthanassa	drusilla
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Anthanassa	frisia
Los Innocentes	Nymphalidae	Nymphalinae	Chlosyne	erodyle

Species recorded in Costa Rica in July 1994

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