Belize Arthropods

Arachnids

Brachypelma vagans - Red-rumped tarantula. We all took turns holding this large, gentle spider that was caught roaming across the grass in Bermudian Landing. We were very sad to discover that only half an hour later it was killed by a lawnmower!

Centruroides gracilis - Brown bark scorpion. This little one was scurrying across the bathroom with a dead cockroach, but earlier I had found one crawling halfway up to my knee while I was drying off in the shower! They were everywhere at Las Cuevas.

Insects

Tropidacris collaris - fairly common at Cockscomb, these huge grasshoppers have bright pink wings and appear to be a bird when seen in flight. One pooped while it was hanging out on my shoulder- I wouldn't have thought an insect could poop the size of a kidney bean. Everyone insisted on taking a round of pictures before they helped me wipe it off.

Tropidacris cristata - The funniest moment of the entire trip was at Saint Margaret's when this giant lubber grasshopper jumped and latched on to Jeff's lips! He was terrified but couldn't cry out- just hop up and down silently while trying to pry it off.

Pelidnota virescens - Golden jewel scarab, Las Cuevas. A beautiful and surprising by-catch of our moth light.

Megasoma actaeon - Rhinoceros scarab, Las Cuevas. This is the largest insect I found in Belize- the size of a computer mouse! Unfortunately it was a female, so it didn't have the huge horn-like projection which gives this species its common name- but the girls screamed at it anyway.

1 Guest entries:

Terry said...

Amazing shots, the scorpion one tho and your story made me shudder !