| A trip to the forest |
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The area we explored is mostly secondary forest, now protected from further cutting by the Costa Rican forestry division. We walked along this old logging road and saw many things to pause for. Arthropods were especially common, as were frogs and lizards. I am not sure who this frog is, but the lizard is the Central American Whiptail, Ameiva festiva. Ticos call it chisbala. |
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Eleutherodactus fitzengeri
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We encountered a number of spiders along the trail. A tree cavity was home to this tarantula, waiting at the entrance for a meal to happen by. We hoped we could prod it out for a better look but instead, it reared defensively and then retreated. |
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On another tree was this trapdoor spider. The ant wanted to get into the act too. We also saw a number of other spiders and a couple of young tailless whipscorpions, sporting the red palps as is common in all that I have encountered, here and at home. |
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One of the most beautiful sights in this forest was these damselflies, especially in flight as they caught small insects about thirty feet above the ground. One finally landed low enough to get a natural shot (cropping and enlarging, not withstanding). William was able to catch another for a closer look. |
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Whenever William goes on one of these forays, he carries a net and envelopes to collect breeding stock. He was extremely happy to catch this female Lycorea cleobeae atergatis. Since it is known to eat Asclepias curissavica like other Danainae, he can easily rear it. He was also delighted to find this Archaeoprepona or Prepona larva that he had not previously seen. As is typical of young larvae in these two genera, it is quite cryptic hanging at rest below the feeding damage. |
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Cicada exuvia were quite common on tree trunks and on the underside of leaves. Frequently they were grouped closely together like these. The larger and darker one is from a female. William collected a couple dozen as interpretive tools and giveaways for students. The bala, bullet ant (Paraponera clavata) is the most feared ant in the tropics, well known for its extremely painful sting. To learn more about them, visit SASI’s Casa Hormiga for a couple of articles by Randy Morgan.
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After only a kilometer or so, the road came to a gate where, on the other side, the forest opened up into this area cleared for cattle. Before going there we could hear a chainsaw going so William wanted to see what was being done. We discovered that two men had been building a new fence to keep cattle out of the forest. They were no longer working when we reached the bunkhouse, having taken a break for lunch. We had a cup of coffee with them and chatted about my activities and other doings in the area. |
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Afterwards we went back the way we had come, still pausing for photos and other things. Growing along the road were a number of these seedlings, a host plant for a butterfly that William wants to offer but currently does not have enough plant material. He dug up five and carefully wrapped them in fifteen inch-long leaves pulled from a tree above. |
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Before long we were back to the moto, loaded up our treasures and headed back to Pierella. We were only out for a couple of hours but found the experience most enjoyable and rewarding. |
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