Blog Archives

Headlight Beetle

Posted on May 8, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

25mm | January 19, 2011 | Armonia Nature Preserve, Limon Province, Costa Rica

This click beetle in the family Elateridae was another night find. I’d like to say those light producing organs on the prothorax drew my attention. In reality, its “headlights” were “off” when I found it.

There are many species with these light producing organs spread across many genera, but they are all commonly referred to as headlight beetles.

On a side note, my blacklight flashlight was kind of a bust otherwise I’m afraid to report. I had hoped to find some scorpions at least, but this beetle was the only thing it turned up. read more

Posted in Featured Photos | 3 Comments

Another Attractive Beetle

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

9mm | January 19, 2011 | Armonia Nature Preserve, Limon Province, Costa Rica

While I work on some longer posts, here’s another attractive unidentified beetle to ponder. Maybe a pleasing fungus beetle in the family Erotylidae?

Posted in Featured Photos | 4 Comments

Attractive Beetle

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

11mm | January 19, 2011 | Armonia Nature Preserve, Limon Province, Costa Rica

I won’t venture an identification here, but it was too attractive to pass up! Can anyone narrow it down for me?

Posted in Featured Photos | 2 Comments

Micropezid, ovipositing

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

8mm | January 19, 2011 | Armonia Nature Preserve, Limon Province, Costa Rica

While recently reviewing my shots of this fly in the family Micropezidae, I was surprised to find that I unknowingly got a shot of her laying an egg. Here’s another shot for comparison, where she has concealed her ovipositor beneath her abdomen.

Ovipositor concealed

Here’s a crop from the first photo, showing the ovipositor and the egg.

Ovipositor and egg

Everything I’ve read indicates that most larvae develop in decomposing matter, so it seems strange she would be placing an egg on a leaf surface. Perhaps this is  just a method of random distribution, and the egg just falls where it may on the ground below. read more

Posted in Easter Eggs, Featured Photos | 3 Comments

Another Nogodinid Planthopper

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

13mm | January 19, 2011 | Armonia Nature Preserve, Limon Province, Costa Rica


Here’s another one of those planthoppers from the family Nogodinidae, pretty much just like the earlier one I posted.

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True Bug Eggs

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

January 19, 2011 | Armonia Nature Preserve, Limon Province, Costa Rica

I found this row of eggs on the underside of a small log that was laying on the ground. They look like they belong to a true bug (order Hemiptera) of some sort. Here’s a closer look.

Closeup look | Each egg measures about 1mm

Posted in Featured Photos | 1 Comment

Unusual Leafhopper

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

13mm | January 19, 2011 | Armonia Nature Preserve, Limon Province, Costa Rica

Here’s a somewhat unusual leafhopper. I don’t recall ever seeing one with an upturned snout.

Dorsal view

Posted in Featured Photos | 1 Comment

Mantidfly

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

15mm | January 19, 2011 | Armonia Nature Preserve, Limon Province, Costa Rica

I was thrilled to find this mantidfly (family Mantispidae) on the underside of a large leaf. I’ve seen plenty of these attracted to lights at night, but I rarely encounter one in a natural setting.

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Black and Yellow Leafhopper

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

10mm | January 19, 2011 | Armonia Nature Preserve, Limon Province, Costa Rica

In an earlier post I remarked how I initially mistook a colorful micromoth for a leafhopper, and that I later saw a similarly marked leafhopper. This is the leafhopper I had in mind, although now I can’t really say they look all that alike.

I did see quite a few of this variety of leafhopper though.

Another individual

 

Posted in Featured Photos | 1 Comment

Crypsis Challenge #10 Reveal

Posted on April 10, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

I didn’t intend to leave this challenge open for quite so long. Unfortunately, other things in my life sometimes have to take precedence over this blog, even if I’d rather it be the other way around. 🙂

Looks like the challenge was more difficult than I expected. Commenters who suggested a katydid were on the right track, but this looks like a cricket to me. Here’s the original photo and another version where I’ve crudely outlined the cricket.

Cricket, outlined

January 19, 2011 | Armonia Nature Preserve, Limon Province, Costa Rica

I provided the outline to show the position and to show just how long the antennae are. Here’s a closer photo, sans antennae. read more

Posted in Crypsis Challenges | 3 Comments