Insect

Dennis August 3, 2011 1 Comment

Costa Rica 2011 The Art of Biodiversity – Part 4

Bosque de Paz Ecolodge

This small lodge, located in a valley between the Poas Volcano and Juan Castro Blanco National Parks offers a diversity of subjects to photograph. The owners, Federico and Vanessa González-Pinto are working hard, and succeeding in, developing an ecological corridor linking the two nationally protected areas. They are amiable hosts and are truly concerned for the nature of Costa Rica. In addition to the variety of landscape opportunities of the cloud forest moss-covered trees and rushing streams, the place is teeming with hummingbirds. There is also an extensive collection of orchids located near the main building that hosts hundreds of orchids, and the owners sponsor orchid research supporting preservation efforts.

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Dennis July 11, 2011 2 Comments

Costa Rica 2011 The Art of Biodiversity – Part 2

Selva Verde Lodge

We spent three days at this tropical rainforest lodge located on the banks of the Sarapiqui River. The attraction here is the abundance of green and black poison dart frogs and red poison dart frogs as well as masked and red-eyed tree frogs. One back lit basilisk lizard was a challenge to photograph as we tried to move through the undergrowth off the path and not chase the lizard off. There were also lizards climbing a tree next to the dining room, and we even saw a baby fer-de-lance on the side of the path. It couldn’t have been more than three inches in diameter coiled less than a foot from the path. The lodge naturalist moved the snake into the forest for everyone’s (and the snake’s) safety.

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Dennis October 3, 2009

Bee Assassin

This Bee Assassin stayed on one of two flowers during a four week period in September. The first images are in the nymph stage, and gradually transformed into the adult form over the first two weeks. I visited the flower often to see if the bug would catch something to eat. Near the end of the fourth week I was fortunate to see, and photograph, the insect eating a bee.

Assassin bugs get their name from the way they attack their victims, inflicting sharp stabs with their beak. Their front most legs have powerful muscles to grab and hold their prey while the body fluids are sucked out. The bug pounces on bees and other pollinating insects. After grabbing the prey, the insect thrusts its cutting beak in to the victim’s back, injects an immobilizing digestive agent, then sucks out the body juices.

For these images I used a Canon 40D camera with a Sigma 150mm macro lens and a Canon MT-24EX twin light.