🔍 Tropical / Cassius Blue | Leptotes cassius 🦋 📍 Seen in Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 💬 Did you know the Cassius Blue is one of the smallest butterflies in North America, with a wingspan so tiny it can rest comfortably on your fingernail?…
🔍 Western Tanager | Piranga Ludoviciana 🐤 📍 Seen in Grecia, Alajuela, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 💬 The Western Tanager is the only North American tanager whose brilliant yellow pigment doesn’t come from the bird’s own diet — scientists believe it gets its rare red-orange pigment…
🔍 David B. Burks American Heritage Building (Harding University) 🏢 📍 Seen in Harding University, Arkansas, United States 🇺🇸 💬 The David B. Burks American Heritage Building at Harding University is named after the university’s longest-serving president, who led the institution for over 25 years…
🔍 Multi-Colored Asian Ladybug | Harmonia axyridis 🐞 📍 Seen in Alajuela, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 💬 When threatened, they release a yellowish fluid from their leg joints (called reflex bleeding). It smells bad, tastes worse to predators, and can even stain walls or fabrics.
🔍 Dysschema Tiger Moth | Dysschema dissimulata 🐛 📍 Seen in Alajuela, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 💬 These caterpillars may sequester (store) toxic compounds from the plants they eat — turning the chemicals into their own defense system.
🔍 American Lady Butterfly | Vanessa virginiensis 🦋 📍 Seen in Alajuela, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 💬 On the underside of each hindwing, you’ll usually see two large eyespots (with blue centers). When the wings are closed, the underside looks like dry leaf litter.
🔍 Ox Beetle | Strategus aloeus 🪲 📍 Seen in Alajuela, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 💬 Males have three horns — one long central horn and two side horns, meanwhile Females (like the one on the picture) don’t have horns, but they’re still incredibly strong and…
🔍 White-Nosed Coati | Nasua narica 🦡 📍 Seen in Nuevo León, Mexico 🇲🇽 💬 Their long ringed tail is often held straight up when walking — it helps group members keep track of each other in dense forest. Also Known as: White-Nosed Coatimundi, Coatimundi,…
🔍 Geometry Caterpillars | Geometridae nemoria 🕊️ 📍 Seen in Alajuela, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 💬 The name Geometridae comes from Greek: geo = earth and metron = measure. Because the caterpillars look like they’re measuring the ground inch by inch when they move. Also Known…
🔍 Western Cattle-Egret | Ardea ibis 🕊️ 📍 Seen in Alajuela, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 💬 In Trinidad and Tobago, this bird is a national symbol and is featured on the country ´s coat of arms. They eat grasshoppers, crickets, flies, ticks, and other insects stirred…
🔍 Forest Giant Owl Butterfly | Caligo eurilochus 🦋 📍 Seen in Alajuela, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 💬 That giant eyespot isn’t decorative—it mimics an owl’s eye, which can make birds and small mammals freeze or flee. Also Known as: Owl butterfly Giant owl, butterfly Forest…
🔍 Leaf-Mimic Katydid | Pterochroza ocellata 🍂 📍 Seen in Alajuela, Costa Rica 🇨🇷 💬 Those “holes,” brown spots, and uneven edges on their wings aren’t accidents—predators expect leaves to be imperfect, so flawless leaves would actually look suspicious. Also Known as: Leaf-mimic katydid, Leaf…
