Tag Archives: Insects

Headlight Beetle (Pyrophorus nyctophanus)

Headlight Beetle (Pyrophorus nyctophanus)

What an amazing sight! In the middle of the jungle in absolute darkness – a towering structure more than 2 metres tall – is dotted with countless tiny green lanterns!! This is the time of a very strange and deadly event – for the flying termites, that is. The towering structure is a huge termite [...]

Wandering spider (Ctenid sp)

Wandering spider (Ctenid sp)

Deep inside Noel Kempff Mercado National Park there are few traces of human activities, and no other way to sleep than making a campground for the night. There are several campgrounds, but as this is the jungle and few visitors come here, they are quickly reclaimed by nature. This location is at the very end [...]

Agathina Emperor (Doxocopa agathina)

Agathina Emperor (Doxocopa agathina)

A beautiful butterfly I also saw in Bolivian Amazon. The blue is changing with the angle of the light, so sometimes it seems to have very little blue, and in other angles it’s really striking. This is by the stream/waterfall we cross on the way to the Huanchaca Plateau (also called Caparu Meseta (Meseta de [...]

Smith’s Pixie (Melanis smithiae)

Smith’s Pixie (Melanis smithiae)

The very first of the species for me in Bolivia, and one of countless gorgeous butterfly species here in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park. This is by the stream/waterfall we cross on the way to the Huanchaca Plateau (also called Caparu Meseta (Meseta de Caparú)) and is sometimes used as a camp when it’s not [...]

Adelpha sp

Adelpha sp

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park has the river Paraguá as a natural border in the west, and on the shores of the river you’ll see a large number of insect species, including butterflies. So even though the community of Florida is cattle land, and typically has human waste of different categories, the proximity to the [...]

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park beetle 01

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park beetle 01

An incredibly strong color blue beetle, that according to my local guide produces a terrible smell as a defense. I didn’t check, so I don”t really know. Please help me identify it – leave a comment.

Heraclides sp

Heraclides sp

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park has the river Paraguá as a natural border in the west, and on the shores of the river you’ll see a large number of insect species, including butterflies. So even though the community of Florida is cattle land, and typically has human waste of different categories, the proximity to the [...]

Heraclides sp?

Heraclides sp?

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park has the river Paraguá as a natural border in the west, and on the shores of the river you’ll see a large number of insect species, including butterflies. So even though the community of Florida is cattle land, and typically has human waste of different categories, the proximity to the [...]

Ruby-spotted Swallowtail (Heraclides anchisiades)

Ruby-spotted Swallowtail (Heraclides anchisiades)

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park has the river Paraguá as a natural border in the west, and on the shores of the river you’ll see a large number of insect species, including butterflies. So even though the community of Florida is cattle land, and typically has human waste of different categories, the proximity to the [...]

Rothschild’s Swordtail (Protesilaus earis)

Rothschild’s Swordtail (Protesilaus earis)

The different species of Protesilaus can be difficult to identify, but if you think of the thick black bars on the forewing as a barcode, you actually have a way of separating them. The particular of this one is that the fourth bar (counting bottom-up) is almost non-existing. Noel Kempff Mercado National Park has the [...]

Glittering Sapphire (Lasaia agesilas)

Glittering Sapphire (Lasaia agesilas)

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park has the river Paraguá as a natural border in the west, and on the shores of the river you’ll see a large number of insect species, including butterflies. So even though the community of Florida is cattle land, and typically has human waste of different categories, the proximity to the [...]

Polyctor Skipper (Polyctor polyctor)

Polyctor Skipper (Polyctor polyctor)

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park has the river Paraguá as a natural border in the west, and on the shores of the river you’ll see a large number of insect species, including butterflies. So even though the community of Florida is cattle land, and typically has human waste of different categories, the proximity to the [...]

Pale Sulphur (Aphrissa statira)

Pale Sulphur (Aphrissa statira)

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park has the river Paraguá as a natural border in the west, and on the shores of the river you’ll see a large number of insect species, including butterflies. So even though the community of Florida is cattle land, and typically has human waste of different categories, the proximity to the [...]

Noel Kempff butterfly 01

Noel Kempff butterfly 01

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park has the river Paraguá as a natural border in the west, and on the shores of the river you’ll see a large number of insect species, including butterflies. So even though the community of Florida is cattle land, and typically has human waste of different categories, the proximity to the [...]

Red Daggerwing (Marpesia petreus)

Red Daggerwing (Marpesia petreus)

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park has the river Paraguá as a natural border in the west, and on the shores of the river you’ll see a large number of insect species, including butterflies. So even though the community of Florida is cattle land, and typically has human waste of different categories, the proximity to the [...]

Bell’s Paradise Skipper (Phocides metrodorus)

Bell’s Paradise Skipper (Phocides metrodorus)

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park has the river Paraguá as a natural border in the west, and on the shores of the river you’ll see a large number of insect species, including butterflies. So even though the community of Florida is cattle land, and typically has human waste of different categories, the proximity to the [...]

Hübner’s Sister (Adelpha plesaure)

Hübner’s Sister (Adelpha plesaure)

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park has the river Paraguá as a natural border in the west, and on the shores of the river you’ll see a large number of insect species, including butterflies. So even though the community of Florida is cattle land, and typically has human waste of different categories, the proximity to the [...]

Heliconius sp

Heliconius sp

This was my farwell to Chalalan, and even though it was raining some butterflies were out feeding on urine or naturally occuring salts. Please help me identify it – leave a comment.

Great Orange tip (Anteos menippe)

Great Orange tip (Anteos menippe)

Sometimes you can see quite large gatherings of this species on the riverbanks, and urine is particularly irresistible.

Rainbow katydid (Tettigoniidae)

Rainbow katydid (Tettigoniidae)

Spotted on the grounds of the now out of business Santa Rosa – Chalalan’s neighbor. Please help med identify it – leave a comment.

Genoveva Buckeye (Junonia genoveva)

Genoveva Buckeye (Junonia genoveva)

Spotted on the grounds of the now out of business Santa Rosa – Chalalan’s neighbor.

Madidi chrysalis

Madidi chrysalis

What amazing weaving skills! I would really like to know what species this is so I can see what kind of insect this is. Please help med identify it – leave a comment.

Red-barred Amarynthis (Amarynthis meneria)

Red-barred Amarynthis (Amarynthis meneria)

One of innumerable species of butterflies and moths found here, this is on the trail from Tuichi river to Santa Rosa lake – the much larger neighboring lake to Chalalan.

Cleonus Metalmark (Detritivora cleonus)

Cleonus Metalmark (Detritivora cleonus)

This is on the trail from Tuichi river to Santa Rosa lake – the much larger neighboring lake to Chalalan.

Madidi grasshopper 03

Madidi grasshopper 03

Please help identify it – leave a comment.

Many-banded Daggerwing (Marpesia chiron)

Many-banded Daggerwing (Marpesia chiron)

A large and quite common butterfly on the riverbanks of Madidi.

Madidi butterfly 01

Madidi butterfly 01

On all the riverbanks you’ll see many different species of butterflies and bees, licking salts – either from human and mammal urine, or the natural occurring salts. Please help identify it – leave a comment.

Madidi cicada 02

Madidi cicada 02

Please help me identify it – leave a comment.

Madidi grasshopper 02

Madidi grasshopper 02

Another large grasshopper, and the only time I saw this particular species. Please help me identify it – leave a comment.

Stink bug (Pentatomidae)

Stink bug (Pentatomidae)

As with all stink bugs they have a foul smell, but with such intense color I suppose this must smell incredibly bad? Please help me identify it – leave a comment.

Rainbow metalmark (Caria trochilus)

Rainbow metalmark (Caria trochilus)

The Caria butterflies are perhaps the most beautiful of all! The colors, patterns and how they are in different angles and light is just mesmerizing, and I guess reason for some to get hooked on butterflies for the rest of their lives! I never got the chance to photograph this species in direct sunlight, which [...]

Crested rainforest grasshopper (Prionolopha serrata)

Crested rainforest grasshopper (Prionolopha serrata)

One of many large insects just outside my cabin.

Madidi grasshopper 01

Madidi grasshopper 01

The 2 kilometre long trail from the river to Chalalan provides an excellent welcome and goodbye experience when it comes to flora and fauna, and this was the first grasshopper! A very large one, i might add! Please help me identify it – leave a comment

Madidi Cicada 01

Madidi Cicada 01

Halfway to Chalalan we stopped for lunch on the bank of the Tuichi River, and this was the first and only sight I had of this incredible insect.

Altiplano butterfly 02

Altiplano butterfly 02

This was the second species of butterfly I saw during my few dayes here. Please help me identify it – leave a comment Altitude: 3669 metres.

Altiplano butterfly 01

Altiplano butterfly 01

One of very few butterflies I saw on the Altiplano. In the Amazon there’s a lack of salt and they sometimes swarm aound sweat or urine stains in the landscape. Here it’s plenty of salt, but perhaps not so much pollen. Please help my identify it – leave a comment. Altitude: 3838 metres.

Membracis C-album

Membracis C-album

These artistic insects suck sap from the wild mango tree at the welcome center of Napo Wildlife Center (where you start your canoe journey up the creek to the lodge).

Galápagos field cricket (Gryllus abditus)

Galápagos field cricket (Gryllus abditus)

A large and colorful cricket, and quite difficult to spot unless you catch it moving.

San Isidro beetle 03

San Isidro beetle 03

Please help me classify it – leave a comment

San Isidro Lepidoptera 10

San Isidro Lepidoptera 10

Altitude 2105 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment

San Isidro beetle 02

San Isidro beetle 02

Please help me classify it – leave a comment

San Isidro beetle 01

San Isidro beetle 01

Please help me classify it – leave a comment

Giant glasswing (Methona confusa)

Giant glasswing (Methona confusa)

Thanks to Kim Garwood for identification!

Owl butterfly (Caligo sp)

Owl butterfly (Caligo sp)

Please help classify it. Leave a comment

Clearwing (Danainae ?)

Clearwing (Danainae ?)

Please help me classify it. Leave a comment

Clearwing (Greta genus)

Clearwing (Greta genus)

Thanks to Kim Garwood for helping in identification!

Heliconius erato

Heliconius erato

Thanks to Kim Garwood for identification!

Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charitonius)

Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charitonius)

Thanks to Kim Garwood for identification!