Nov. 23, 2014 - Costa Rica Butterflies

One of our first stops in Costa Rica was the La Paz Waterfall Garden. An enclosed butterfly garden was a featured attraction. Many of these spectacular Blue Morpho butterflies were flying around inside the enclosure. With a wingspan of five to eight inches, they are among the largest butterflies in the world

ButterflyBlueMorphoPazWaterfallGardenCostaRica20141018

You might think this is a different species but it is also a Blue Morpho. In this photo you see the underwing of the butterfly. It looks completely different than the blue upper side of the wing. Notice the many circular “eye spots.” During our time in Costa Rica we did see some of these beauties in the wild. When they fly, they startle you because their wings flash between bright blue and dark brown.

ButterflyBlueMorphoPazWaterfallGardenCostaRica20141018

This is a Great Fritillary butterfly.

ButterflyPazWaterfallGardenCostaRica20141018

I don’t know the name of this one but it is an interesting looking species.

11-23-14 - I just found this butterfly in a book that I have and it's called a Doris Longwing. Earl

ButterflyPazWaterfallGardenCostaRica20141018

Several feeding stations were filled with fruit for the butterflies. The Blue Morphos were very interested in the oranges and bananas. Right in the center of the photo is a butterfly that looks like a Blue Morpho but it doesn’t have as many “eye spots.” That’s an Owl Butterfly.

ButterfliesBlueMorphoandOwlfeederPazWaterfallGardenCostaRica20141018

Caterpillars seal themselves into a chrysalis so they can transform into a butterfly. The Waterfall Garden buys chrysalises from butterfly farms. They are hung in this case so visitors can watch the butterflies emerge. Each row represents a different species of butterfly. The bottom row has two Owl Butterflies that have just emerged.

ButterflyrearingPazWaterfallGardenCostaRica20141018

Here are some photos of butterflies taken in the wild. This striking blue species was resting in a tree outside Arenal Observatory Lodge.

UnidentifiedBlueButterflyArenalObservatoryLodgeCostaRica20141019

We saw many of these butterflies at Hacienda Baru. They seemed to favor these orange flowers.

UnidentifiedButterflyHaciendaBaruCostaRica20141021

During our stay at Arenal Observatory Lodge we visited a hot spring area. I found this Owl Butterfly along a boardwalk.

ButterflyOwlHotSpringsnearArenalObservatoryLodge20141019

spacer1