Insects & Butterflies!

Papilio Thoas Nealces

Butterflies give color to our gardens in the morning.  All shades are possible among the more than 10,000 species found in Costa Rica.  Even at night, they can surprise us too; we just need a good torch light to admire their beauty.  The butterflies are called Lepidoptera by scientists, as their wings (pteros) are covered with scales (Lepidus), which provide them with a palette of colors. All butterflies have a complex life cycle called metamorphosis.  They are born from an egg, which is deposited in a host plant.

The mother butterfly chooses the plant carefully, making sure she picks the one the small larvae will like when they emerge from their eggs.  Butterfly larvae have strong jaws, so they can feed on leaves, stems, flowers, fruits, larvae, and even fungi.

Artists can’t do any better, these light and colorful enchanting beings need our protection. Read on to discover more about their sometimes small, yet enchanted world.

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