A Tree Falls in Tirimbina

This morning Jaxon and I accompanied Emanuel on a two and half hour hike through a rustic trail in Tirimbina to do a visual check of some of the plants in a study and to search for caterpillars. Tomorrow begins the week-long butterfly (mariposa) study. Tirimbina has been collecting data on butterflies the first week of each month for about the last five years. All of this cumulative research will be very helpful in studying the health of the forest and the butterfly population.


The day began with our regular suspension bridge crossing into the forest, only today we had company. A family of nine Howler monkeys (mono Congo) was crossing the bridge at the same time and came within feet of us! We spotted two babies, several juveniles, a few females and one male in the troop. I think they were the same group we spotted in the forest a day before. (Trying to download a video, but having some trouble! Check back a little later.)

We hiked and searched under leaves for caterpillars. Even to the untrained eye, there is a lot to see in the rainforest. But if you know what you are looking for, the rainforest is amazing! Manuel knew exactly what to look for. He would examine plant leaves for bite marks, then scope for caterpillar poop on the leaves (surprisingly visible!) and then he would search for a rolled up leaf. If the plant had any or all of these signs, he would flip the leaves over and VOILA – caterpillars!

The first we one spotted was huge – about the size and girth of my index finger. We labeled a large plastic bag and inserted leaves for food and placed the entire leaf and caterpillar in the bag. Manuel then wrote a description of the caterpillar where it was located, its surroundings, etc. He said that all that info (and the caterpillar) would go to the National Museum of Costa Rica. We even got to write our names in the book as the ones who discovered it! Great day!

A funny aside – while we were looking for caterpillars, we pulled down a branch that was being strangled by vines. Also in the vines was a tree trunk. We heard a loud sound and realized the tree was going to fall. I screamed, “Watch out!” to Jaxon and pushed him out of the way….. or so I thought. Instead I pushed him right into the path of the falling tree, which cracked in half over his head! It hurt a little, but most of all, we all laughed at what a great mom I am!! Pushing her kid into harm’s way!

Also spotted on the hike today – many frogs and toads, a strawberry poison dart frog, one unidentified snake, an agouti, a lot of birds, several lizards and Central American whiptails and of course, the monkeys!!

Tomorrow we begin the Butterfly Project! Can’t wait!