Butterflies in Costa Rica

Butterflies in Costa Rica

When a butterfly flies by, most people do stop for a moment to follow it with their eyes. They often have beautiful colors and the large soft wings compared to the small body make them look almost cuddly. In Costa Rica there are more than 1200 species of butterflies and of course we are very curious about the species that occur in the reservation of Adopt Rainforest.

In recent years we have had visits from a number of butterfly experts (Also called the Butterfly Harriers), who went for an internship or as a volunteer to look at the different butterfly species that occur in the reserve, at the research center and in the nearby village of San Miguel. So by early 2020 there was a nice list of species but seen over a number of short periods. Because of the Corona, the project was empty and we had no visitors for a longer period. For Hanneke a reason to get more involved in the butterflies, and before she knew it she had caught the butterfly fever. From January 2020 until now, so August 2022, she has caught an average of one new species of butterfly per week. That’s what makes this sport so much fun. And there are beautiful specimens, see the pictures below. Sometimes the species are difficult to distinguish from each other, but often you immediately see: ‘Yes! This one is new! We are now at 239 different butterfly species, so we are not finished yet. Every trip to the beautiful reserve of Adopt Rainforest can bring new surprises.

Introducing: Hanneke Ligtenberg

Hanneke has been involved in the research project in Costa Rica from the start. She moved to Costa Rica with her husband Maarten (founder of the foundation) and her two sons Abel (8) and Luuk (6) in 2017. There, they passionately run the research project. By now they have already supervised more than a hundred students and run several research projects.

Want to know which butterfly species have all been determined? Take a look at our species list: Species List

The Hummingbird

Most species are between 7.5 and 13 cm in size. You would almost think it is an out-sized bumblebee! Hummingbirds (Trochilidae) are the smallest birds in the world. They are a family of birds of the order swift-like. The family includes more than 300 species. Most species are found in South America. It is so much fun (more…)

The rainy season part 1: Glass frogs

In the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica most rain falls in May to August. The fact that it rains is good for all life of course, but can be quite difficult for our biologists in the Work with Nature reserve; the paths become muddy, the laundry doesn’t dry and the project is sometimes briefly inaccessible because rivers are filling up. (more…)

Bird Watching in Costa Rica

Costa Rica, a country of which almost half is rainforest, is a true birding paradise. More than 900 species of birds can be found here. One of the most beautiful and special birds that has its habitat in Costa Rica, however, is the Resplendent Quetzal. A good reason to go bird watching in Costa Rica!

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High time for biodiversity!

High time for biodiversity

Did you know that 5% of all species of flora and fauna in the world live and grow in Costa Rica? Also, Costa Rica is in the global top 20 countries with the greatest biodiversity! Are you a real nature lover? Then put Costa Rica on your bucket list. But… before you pull your backpack and passport out of theĀ  closet, we want to give you a lesson about biodiversity. Maybe you have what it is, but to refresh your memory we’ll explain it to you in this blog. (more…)

Special glass frog in the reserve!

Now that student Sonny, a pure night tour specialist, is about to finish his internship, a lot of great discoveries are made at the last minute. To top it all off, last week we found a special glass frog in the reserve. This Hyalinobatrachium dianae – Diane’s Bare-hearted Glass Frog was only discovered and described […]

International Census of the Great Green Macaw

Critically endangered parrot species Yesterday the research program of Adopt Rainforest participated in the Censo Internacional de la Guacamaya Verde 2022. Or in English the International Sensus of the Great Green Macaw. Throughout its distribution, dozens of organisations participate in the next days to get an understanding of the current state of this parrot species. […]

The three-fingered sloth: the facts you didn’t know about this impressive mammal

What’s with the fur? Why do sloths sleep so much? This month, the three-fingered sloth is the animal of the month at Adopt Rainforest. And what’s more fun than hearing from one of the founders of Adopt Rainforest some fun facts that you won’t find in a standard biology book. Maarten van der Beek is one of the biologists at Adopt Rainforest and lives on the Work With Nature reserve in Costa Rica. (more…)