Filter
Quality grade Reviewed
Identifications Captive / Cultivated
Geoprivacy Taxon Geoprivacy
Show only
Select All, None
Place
  clear
Not in place
Taxon
Observed on
Order
Exact Rank
Highest Rank
Lowest Rank
Icon
Photos / Sounds
Species / Taxon Name
Observer
Place
Actions

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 22, 2019 09:20 PM CDT

Description

A truly odd moth that looks more like a lichen or a piece of lava than a moth. It is so covered in different textures that you could spend an hour looking at all its parts under a microscope. A relatively large moth at 2.5 cm in length. It is very calm and docile and rarely moves.
Came to a Black light, Km 15 on the highway between San Cristobal de Las Casas and Tuxtla Gutierrez, on a cliff overlooking the Grijalva River valley, Chiapas, Mexico.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 22, 2019 10:49 PM CDT

Description

This little moth is similar at first glance to the previous Ermine Moth in that it is also white with black lines and about 1 cm in length. However, this one has the anterior lines interrupted and lacks the large orange spots. Instead, it has a thin orange band at the tip of the wings with some black spots above the orange. The wings are curled and it looks like a species of the Yponomeutidae.
Came to a Black light, Km 15 on the highway between San Cristobal de Las Casas and Tuxtla Gutierrez, on a cliff overlooking the Grijalva River valley, Chiapas, Mexico.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 22, 2019 09:52 PM CDT

Description

A white moth with black lines and two large orange spots on each wing. The first 3 black lines are complete (ie. unbroken). About 1 cm in length. The first moth is newly emerged, the 2nd moth (pictures 2 and 3) is an older more battered individual. The wings are curled and it looks like a moth in the Family Yponomeutidae.
Came to a Black light, Km 15 on the highway between San Cristobal de Las Casas and Tuxtla Gutierrez, on a cliff overlooking the Grijalva River valley, Chiapas, Mexico.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 22, 2019 08:35 PM CDT

Description

Strikingly colorful moth of about 1cm in length, with a pattern of white spots on a metallic blue and orange background. The wings are curled at rest and the legs are striped. It looks like an Ermine Moth of the Family Yponomeutidae (Web Spinners) but I can't find one like it.
Came to a Black light, Km 15 on the highway between San Cristobal de Las Casas and Tuxtla Gutierrez, on a cliff overlooking the Grijalva River valley.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 22, 2019 08:57 PM CDT

Description

A Lime green moth about 2 cm long with 3 bands of brown and turquoise lines. The antennae are green at the basal 1/3 and brown on the rest. The legs are striped. Came to an ultraviolet light set up along the highway on a cliff overlooking the Grijalva Valley, between San Cristobal de Las Casas and Tuxtla Gutierrez, km 15, Chiapas, Mexico.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

February 17, 2019 01:35 AM CST

Description

A small Emerald Moth of 8 mm in length. Bright green hair and scales mixed with a paler green. The head and antennae are white. Family Geometridae.
Garden lights, semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2,200 meters.

Photos / Sounds

What

Shovel-headed Garden Worm (Bipalium kewense)

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 12, 2019 01:20 AM -05

Description

First time to actually see one of these. It was about 4 cm in length, brown with darker brown stripes down the body. It looks very much like Bipalium kewense, of asian origen. These are land Planarians or flatworms of the family Geoplanidae. There are many species based on the head shape and color pattern. All are carnivorous predators, feeding on earthworms, slugs, insect larvae and other soft soil creatures. They are often referred to as "Immortal" since they can regenerate body parts as well as regenerate themselves from a single body part or section. They have both sexual and asexual reproduction, the latter being the most common. If this is B. kewense, 4 cm is very small. They are known to reach 20 cm or more. They have a peculiar method of movement, using a "creeping sole" of cilia which moves over a thick secretion of mucous. Some is visible in the 2nd picture. Since it was on a cement driveway, I decided to move it to a moist soil environment. It was really difficult to pick up, even with forceps. The mucous is incredibly thick and sticky, much more so than that of a snail or slug. Found at night, semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, 2,200 meters.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 13, 2019 01:45 AM -05

Description

Large Geometrid about 2 cm long, yellow with fine spots and a brown band on the lower edge of each front wing. Came to lights in the window, semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 15, 2019 02:04 AM -05

Description

A really long-legged Firefly with large tarsal pads, different from any others that I've seen in our area. About 1 cm long, hairy with really large eyes. There is no red on the prothoracic shield or on the elytra. Only yellow and black. The bioluminescent organs are on the last 3 sternites (see last picture). Family Lampyridae, Photurinae?
It was sitting on the base of a lamp post at night, semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2,200 meters.

Photos / Sounds

What

Plume Moths (Family Pterophoridae)

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 15, 2019 11:22 PM CDT

Description

Brightly colored Plume Moth, 1 cm in length. Each species of these moths has its own peculiar way of holding the abdomen and hind legs when at rest. Family Pterophoridae.
Garden lights, semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2,200 meters.

Photos / Sounds

What

Dicot Skippers (Subfamily Eudaminae)

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 15, 2019 11:05 PM CDT

Description

A medium-sized Skipper, pale blue-grey on the underside with darker zig-zag markings, about 2.5 cm in length. The upper side is dark brown with white spots on the upper wings and a rusty brown on the lower wings with a hint of 2 slightly darker bands. It has tiny little tails no more than a few mm in length. There are scales of metallic blue on both sides of the wings, depending on the angle of light. It has a white ring around the eye. This is the male of the species. The female is larger with a complete diagonal white band on the upper wings (http://www.tropicleps.ch/bild.php?bild=011371). It has a distribution from southern Mexico through northern South America, mainly at higher elevations. By looking at the references, you can see that the different subspecies are also very different in coloration on the underside of the wings. The larva is very striking (https://www.acguanacaste.ac.cr/paginas-de-especies/insectos/103-hesperiidae/4079-i-nascus-solon-i-hesperiidae). Family Hesperiidae. This landed on the wall in front of me on a downtown street. It must have come out of someone's interior garden. I brought it home to photograph and released it in a safer place.... in my own garden. San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2,200 meters.

Photos / Sounds

What

Mesoamerican Bumble Bee (Bombus ephippiatus)

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 15, 2019 01:50 AM -05

Description

This species is a Pine-Oak Mountain Bumble Bee, found from central Mexico through Central America. It is a large Bumble Bee, just over 2 cm with very long hair. The top of the thorax is all black, no stripes. There are bright yellow patches on the sides of the thorax and the upper abdomen. This species is very beautiful, with golden orange hair along the sides of the yellow on the abdomen and dark wings. New queens often come into the house in the fall to hibernate.
This one was in decline on the ground at night and may have been too cold. I brought her into the house but she didn't survive.

Photos / Sounds

What

Twenty-spotted Lady Beetle (Psyllobora vigintimaculata)

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

October 2, 2018 01:52 AM CDT

Description

Tiny yellow and white Ladybug of 3 mm with black spots. Family Coccinellidae. It is also called the 20-Spotted Ladybug, see notes below that it is a mildew feeder and not a predator like most Coccinellids. Many specimens of this species are white without any yellow or the amount of yellow varies and there is a great variation in the spots: large, small, separated or confluent. The group needs work and apparently some DNA studies are being done. See references below.
Garden lights, semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, 2,200 meters.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

April 14, 2013 03:57 PM CDT

Description

A bark patterned beetle with small tubercles on the elytra, about 1 cm in length. The femora of all 3 pairs of legs are swollen. Family Cerambycidae.
Came to the garden lights, semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2,200 meters.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

April 14, 2013 03:55 PM CDT

Description

Unusual little Ladybird Beetle which looks like it was painted by a child. 5 mm in length. Family Coccinellidae.
Found on a flowering bush with yellow flowers. San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2,200 meters.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

April 14, 2013 03:46 PM CDT

Description

This is a bit of a weird shaped Click Beetle. Family Elateridae. The "color" pattern on the elytra is due to numerous hairs. About 1.5 cm long.
Found drinking from a drop of water on a leaf in the garden, semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, 2,200 meters.
The white spot at the tip of the elytra is only on the left side and is not part of the beetle's natural color pattern.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

November 19, 2015 06:48 PM CST

Description

Click Beetle, 2 cm in length, with strongly flabellate antennae. Dark brown on the head and thorax, light brown on the elytra. Family Elateridae.
Came to an ultraviolate light, Finca Argovia, Ruta de Cafe, 32 km north of Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico 617 meters.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

November 18, 2015 11:03 PM CST

Description

Click Beetle, 1.8 cm long, orange with red and black markings. Family Elateridae. Came to an ultraviolet light. Finca Argovia, Ruta de Cafe, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

March 30, 2014 05:30 PM CDT

Description

A giant metallic green Click Beetle with yellow-orange stripes on the sides of the thorax and abdomen, 3 cm long. It played dead when I touched it and was motionless in my hand for a while. Family Elateridae. On a moss covered tree trunk, Lacandon Jungle, Mayan Ruins of Bonampak, Chiapas, Mexico.

Notes:

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

November 19, 2015 06:53 PM CST

Description

A treasure of a Beetle, somewhat unique in that while it looks like a Jewel Beetle (Buprestidae) it is actually a squat and hairy little Click Beetle (Elateridae)! It has a color pattern of black, yellow and maroon. The last picture was taken on the window screen, but shows the design on the elytra the best. About 1 cm long. This weird little Click Beetle also lacks the clicking mechanism of most other Elaterids (Balgus sp., Subfamily Thylacosterninae). Came to an ultraviolet light. Finca Argovia, Ruta de Cafe, Soconusco area of southern Chiapas, Mexico. About 1 hour from Tapachula (Hotel Argovia Finca Resort, Km. 39 + 2, Carretera a Nueva Alemania, 30700 Tapachula de Córdova y Ordoñez, Chis., Mexico). 617 meters.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 15, 2019 11:09 PM CDT

Description

A Click Beetle, 1.3 cm in length, all black with the exception of the prothorax which is red with a small band of black at the junction with the head. The underside of the prothorax is red and black (see last picture). The elytra are deeply striated and it is hairy. Family Elateridae. Came to the kitchen window at night. Semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2,200 meters.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

May 30, 2019 03:07 AM -05

Description

The head, thorax and legs are red or orange, the elytra are a black, but sometimes look metallic blueish. Between 3 and 5 mm in length. The head is held downwards but still visible below the thorax, the antennae have the last 3 segments expanded. Family Cleridae, subfamily Orthopleurinae. During May I was finding between 3 to 5 of these beetles every day in my bedroom window. I have no idea where so many are coming from inside the house. San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. Outside is Oak-pine forest, 2,200 meters.

Photos / Sounds

What

Typical Fireflies (Subfamily Lampyrinae)

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

May 30, 2019 10:57 PM -05

Description

A small Lightening Bug (Beetle), different from the higher elevation of San Cristobal. Small size at 6 mm in length with a white border around the elytra. The thoracic pattern is red with a wide black central band. Family Lampyridae.
At the lights of a store, Teopisca, Chiapas, Mexico, 1,800 meters. Chiapas rises and drops in altitude rapidly, sometimes in as little as 20 minutes driving, resulting in very different flora and fauna within short distances.

Photos / Sounds

What

May Beetles (Genus Phyllophaga)

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

May 30, 2019 11:01 PM -05

Description

Marron-black scarab with a reddish underside and thick white hair on the underside of the thorax. It has very long tarsi and thick toothed pro tibiae for digging. About 2.3 cm in length. With such small antennae, this might be a female. Subfamily Melolonthinae.
It was probably drawn to the lights of a store where we stopped for coffee. Teopisca, Chiapas, Mexico 1800 meters.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 10, 2019 02:00 AM -05

Description

A 15 cm long Walking Stick with a striped orange eye and a pair of tubercles on the head which resemble bat ears. Its body with its lumps, spines, pits and imitation lichen is more real than a branch itself. In the last picture is a piece of the middle leg and abdomen. The leg has small bark-like or lichen-like phalanges. Order Phasmatodea.
Found cavorting about in my garden at night. Semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2,200 meters.
Walking Sticks are fascinating, besides camouflage, they have other defense mechanisms such as vicious spines, regurgitation of a foul liquid, "bleeding" of unpleasant hemolymph fluids, playing dead and some even have a chemical Mace spray. They can regenerate lost limbs as nymphs when they molt and some adults have been known to stimulate molting in order to regenerate a limb. All are herbivores, feeding on plant material. Most are parthenogenic and in some species, no males have ever been found. When mating does occur, it can last for hours, days, even weeks at a time. Their seeds resemble seeds and are usually dropped to the ground. Ants are known to carry some of these eggs back to their nests to feed on the protein rich outer layer and leave the egg to continue developing in the protection of the nest. Nymphs will usually eat their shed skins after molting to hide their vulnerable presence from predators. They increase the number of ommatidia (facets) in their eyes as they molt, adults have a 10-fold increase in visual acuity over a first instar nymph. The famous swaying behavior that many Walking Sticks exhibit is now believed to help them focus better on close objects. They have carried the art of camouflage to the highest level! And did you know? Their faces have been the model for the Alien Monster in the Predator Series of Movies!

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 11, 2019 12:39 AM -05

Description

This is a large Tiger Moth at 3 cm (some even reach 4 cm). This is the female, which is much more pale than the male (for both sexes together, see this spotting from 2012 (https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/15853393/fullscreen). Females are almost entirely yellow beige, with very little coloring on the underwings or on the top of the abdomen (see picture 5). In the last picture, notice the strange little peg-like tufts on either side of the proboscis. Also, the upper surface of the front femora is orange. It doesn't seem to have a common name. The Ghost Tiger Moth would be a perfect name. Family Erebidae, Arctiinae. Came to garden lights, semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2,200 meters.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

April 23, 2019 01:14 AM -05

Description

Small, colorful Plant Bug of about 4 mm in length. Family Miridae.
Came to lights at night, semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2,200 meters.

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

April 23, 2019 12:58 AM -05

Description

A short, squat winged female Tettigoniid about 2.5 cm in length. Her coloring is perfect for tree trunk camouflage. She has black triangular markings on the abdomen and beautiful pink eyes. The wings seem much too small to carry her weight if she were to fly. The ovipositor is short and curved and has tiny teeth on the upper edge. You can see the tympanum for "hearing" on the front tibia in several of the pictures. Family Tettigoniidae.
Garden at night, semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2,200 meters.
This is only a recently described species and the the type locality is San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico (http://orthoptera.speciesfile.org/Common/basic/Taxa.aspx?TaxonNameID=1139116).

Photos / Sounds

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 10, 2019 01:27 AM -05

Description

Tiny, fragile fly with long legs, a faint bronze cast to the thorax and extremely long arista on the antennae. Only 4 mm in length. Family Dolichopodidae (Long-legged Flies).
Came to lights at night, semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2,200 meters.

Photos / Sounds

What

Tent Caterpillar Moths (Genus Malacosoma)

Observer

laurenzarate

Date

July 11, 2019 02:01 AM CDT

Description

A golden brown hairy Lappet Moth with 2 bands across the forewings. About 1.5 cm in length. This might be a species of Phyllodesma. Family Lasiocampidae.
Came to lights at night, semi-rural residential area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico 2,200 meters.

Feeds : Atom