A Country Like No Other. . Costa Rica / The Blue Morpho Butterfly

Butterflies, sloths & toucans, oh my! Every day, you have to make a decision here in Costa Rica. Do you go to the jungle and get lost in nature and search out butterflies, sloths and toucans? Or do you stay in town and maybe see a blue morpho? The great thing about butterflies is that they can really be found almost anywhere! You don't need to hike deep into the rain forest to find them. A central park in a small town here can be just the place to see hundreds of them.

There are about 1,300 species of butterflies and at least 8,600 species of moths. Butterflies and moths are common year round, but are more present during the rainy season. Ten percent of all known butterfly species worldwide can be found here in Costa Rica.

Considered one of the most beautiful and impressive butterflies in the world, the Blue Morpho is also the biggest butterfly in Costa Rica. It has a wing span of anywhere from 5 to 8 inches. Found throughout Costa Rica and on both coasts, they are most often seen along edges of forests, fields, rivers or near the ocean, They are easily spotted by their large, beautiful bright blue wings that reflect light as they flitter around.

Offering an amazing show, the morpho can confuse predators with its erratic flight paths when it feels at all threatened. The males look for food earlier in the morning while females are more active late morning through the afternoon. The peak hours of activity may be earlier or later depending on the species. As an adult butterfly, the morpho favors the juices of rotting fruit and fungal growths. For protection, the morpho feeds with its wings closed as the large dark ocelli on the wing’s underside blends in with the forest and resembles large eyes that appear to be an animal rather than an insect. Nature is wonderful when protecting its children!

The Blue Morphos have a very short life cycle of about 120 days. They begin life when the eggs are hatched into larvae. The larvae then becomes a recognizable caterpillar with distinct brownish red with green patches along the back. It’s very important to leave them alone as the morpho caterpillar has prickly hair that will irritate the skin. If disturbed, they will secrete a stinky fluid that is very unpleasant.

After metamorphosis, the adult Blue Morpho will emerge out of a brilliant jade-colored green chrysalis. Like all butterflies, morphos taste with sensors on their legs and taste-smell the air with their antennae to help them detect food while in flight. They can detect food from a very long distance!

Butterflies have long been associated with a deep and powerful representation of the human soul and spiritual transformation. The blue color is often thought to have symbolized a healing of sorts, whether it be personal healing or the healing of someone close to you. Many indigenous people of the rain forest saw the Blue Morpho Butterfly as a grantor of all of your wishes in life. The next time you visit Costa Rica, be sure to look for this incredible Blue Morpho. When you spot one, immediately make a wish! Perhaps this colorfully-winged creature will flitter by to let you know your wish has indeed been granted.

Costa Rica has so many beautiful creatures. So many vivid colors here. . the sounds of these animals are like a symphony. Thousands of species. Costa Rica is a very biodiverse country. Being here makes one think about how wonderful nature is. It provides us with a calming solution to our daily lives, which can be stressful, challenging and at times, impossible. Becoming one with nature can bring happiness beyond belief.

The government here does so much to enhance and protect their biodiverse platform. They have set aside a large portion of the land mass as 'protected areas'. Nothing can be built on these tracts of land. This is a state of mind here. And that is why over 3 million tourists visit each year. Many who visit are bird watchers, nature lovers and butterfly enthusiasts.

Butterfly gardens or 'farms' help preserve and showcase these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat and also educate visitors about their growth cycle, eating habits and colorful markings. Tours of butterfly farms are a hands-on educational experience that allow visitors to get close to live butterflies. There are literally dozens of these gardens all across Costa Rica. Visiting a few of these is a MUST DO in my book! There are many hotels that are close by most all of these butterfly gardens and it can make for either a nice day trip or a two or three day excursion for you and your entire family. The more you learn about the butterflies of Costa Rica, the more of a reason you have to visit here! After I get done with you, I guarantee you'll be so excited about visiting that you'll book your flight!

Stay tuned for much more information on butterflies, sloths, toucans and every other wonderful creature here in one of the happiest and biodiverse countries on the planet, Costa Rica! My fingers will never stop writing about Costa Rica and the Pura Vida lifestyle available to you!

You're invited to visit our websites at www.costaricagoodnewsreport.com & www.costaricaimmigrationandmovingexperts.com

Also, please enjoy our over 2,000 episodes of our "Costa Rica Pura Vida Lifestyle Podcast Series". We are found on all major podcast venues, including iHeartRADIO, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Radio FM, Anchor and many more. Here's our link: www.anchor.fm/costa-rica-pura-vida