The Queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) dazzles nature lovers in Belize with its vibrant orange wings adorned with striking black borders and white spots. While you can frequently see these butterflies fluttering through open fields, gardens, and forest edges on the mainland, spotting one on Long Caye is a rare and delightful treat! Often mistaken for […]
Category: Insects
So tiny….the Smaller Parasa moth
We’re always on the lookout for something we haven’t seen yet….usually it’s nothing new, just new to us! Today, while doing chores, a tiny green and brown thing landed on a water container. I got in close to get a better look and was totally surprised to see it had wings! After photos and some […]
Julia, Julia, wherefore art thou?
Since we’re 50 miles out from the mainland, whenever we see butterflies, we can only wonder if they’ve flown all the way here or if they live here their whole life. It’s wonderful either way. This Julia butterfly, which can be found all across Belize, paid us a visit today before the winds picked up. […]
Hello, millipede
Millipedes love to eat all the dead vegetation and we like to see them here on Long Caye. Today, this adult long-flange millipede came crawling out and we took advantage, getting a nice shot of him. You can see his paired legs, a tell-tale sign he’s a millipede and not a centipede.
Witch moth
We frequently see witch moths here at Lr3, mostly the black witch moth. They’re huge, up to 17 cm, and out of the corner of your eye seem like bats! One afternoon we got to witness the battle royale between an Allison’s anole and several brown anoles over a captured witch moth. The prey was […]
Hover Fly
Hover flies, also known as flower flies or syrphid flies, belong to a diverse family of insects that can hover in place while flying. Often mistaken for bees or wasps because of their bright yellow and black coloration, hover flies are harmless to humans and play a crucial role in ecosystems. These insects act as […]