Tree fern
Category Archives: Gallery
Leafcutter ant reproductive caste
The leaf-cutter, reproductive female caste (new queens – Atta cephalotes) emerge in mass and begin digging new homes!
Moss, tiny snails, and planarians
Revisiting Río Bella Vista
Initial dissection of crabs
The first project ideas Gabby and Juliet found interesting involved dissecting the pseudothelphusid crabs found in the streams in Las Cruces. While Gabby’s project has since changed dramatically from diet composition of the crabs to testing sex and heterochelae effects on agonistic behavior, Juliet is exploring trematode (Paragonomus spp.) parasite prevalence in the hepatopancreas (the yellowish tissue) in the crabs.
Forest of Sendero Echandi
Tropical, pre-montane wet forest with tree ferns, strangler figs, cerdro (Cedrella spp.), and some avocado relatives.
Parasitoid pupae from a caterpillar
Parasitoid larvae, probably from a wasp, have emerged from the black wounds of this caterpillar, perhaps a hesperidae butterfly, and pupated.
Check out the trachea (the branching gas exchange organs observed through the skin of the caterpillar) and the punctures from the larval exits!
A pool in Río Java
A couple of caterpillars in Las Alturas
Found along Sendero Echandi.
Beetles in moss
A couple of minute beetles on moss covered rocks within Río Java.
