Butterflies of Costa Rica

1,251 species of butterfly can be found in Costa Rica

That’s about 10% of the world’s butterfly species

One reason for this biodiversity:

Millions of years ago, Costa Rica and Panama formed a bridge between North & South America, so plants and animal species were able to spread between the continents.

A Few Examples…Blue Morpho Butterfly

(Morpho peleides)

The top side of the wings is a bright blue; however, the underside is a dull brown with ‘eyespots’ to camouflage the butterfly from predators.

Erato Heliconian(Heliconius erato)

Also known as the Red Postman, these butterflies vary greatly in color and roost in groups at night.

Monarch Butterfly(Danaus plexippus)

Starting in August, these butterflies make a massive migration to southern California and Mexico for the winter.

Salome Yellow(Eurema salome)

These butterflies fly low to the ground and are often found along the roadside. There are 6 subspecies of Eurema salome, distinguished by the black markings on the wings.

Life of a Butterfly

Eggs are usually deposited on plants. This

is the most vulnerable stage for the butterfly.

For 10-60 days, the larvae grows,

shedding it’s skin up to 6 times.

In the last stage of molting, larvae hang

themselves from a leaf or branch to form a

chrysalis.

Hatching from the chrysalis takes about a day. When the butterfly emerges, it will live for

around 3 weeks.

Costa Rica has an abundance of butterflies, some species of

which thrive in certain elevations.

They help to pollinate Costa Rica’s many plants and make the forests beautiful.