Lysippus Metalmark (Riodina lysippus)

Lysippus Metalmark (Riodina lysippus)

I visited Pantanal just as the rainy season was beginning, and the rivers still not covering the sandbanks. Thus I could enjoy all the different kinds of…


Headlight Beetle (Pyrophorus nyctophanus)

Headlight Beetle (Pyrophorus nyctophanus)

The glowing larvas of the headlight beetle (Pyrophorus nyctophanus) is such a little known annual display in Oct/Nov in some of the forests bordering the…


Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata)

Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata)

A boat on the Cristalilno river is an excellent way to see life in the reserve, and as in Pantanal there are muscovy ducks also here in the Cristalino……


Cat’s-eye Sapphire (Lasaia arsis)

Cat’s-eye Sapphire (Lasaia arsis)

I've shot cat’s-eye sapphire (Lasaia arsis) times before, but I just can't help myself - and this shot I think really shows the splendor of this species!……


Blackish Nightjar (Caprimulgus nigrescens)

Blackish Nightjar (Caprimulgus nigrescens)

Nightjars are naturally hard to see as they're nocturnal, but you definitely hear them and if you use their sound you can often locate them with a flashlight.…


Strangler Fig (ficus clusiifolia)

Strangler Fig (ficus clusiifolia)

The way the the strangler figs spread the constrictive "tentacles" around the palm's trunk is as artistic to the casual viewer as it's deadly to the host. This…


Strangler Fig (ficus clusiifolia)

Strangler Fig (ficus clusiifolia)

I found a great number of strangler figs on palm trees during my stay at Pousada Xaraés. The fig seemed specialized on palm trees - like a subspecies, but I'm…


Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)

Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)

I saw quite a few black-bellied whistling ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis) ducks on the riverbanks of Fazenda San Fransico's river. They were more nervous than…


Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata)

Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata)

A large and common bird throughout the Pantanal. It's incredible how nature has come up with the red protrusions above the eyes - nature's henna paint! It…


Cat’s-eye Sapphire (Lasaia arsis)

Cat’s-eye Sapphire (Lasaia arsis)

There is a 9 km long trail (Poco Preto trail) from the main road that leads to the Iguaçu river. Here I found this cat's-eye Sapphire (Lasaia arsis) among many…