Why have moths from Costa Rica at MPG? Many of "our" moths found in North America North of Mexico are basically tropical species with ranges extending into our southern states, or rarely seen along our southern borders. Some have been found in our area only one or a few times, while others may have well-established populations in southern Florida, around the Gulf Coast, in South Texas and in the desert southwest.

At the University of Pennsylvania, Dan Janzen and Winnie Hallwachs have for ten years been building an immense database of photographs of the moths discovered at the Area de Conservación Guanacaste in Northwestern Costa Rica. They've graciously permitted use of photos of species missing from our plate series, and about 100 species appear here. Had we included all of "their" species found in "our" checklist area there could have been hundreds more.

Their database is also loaded with photographs of larvae, and a wealth of data regarding food plants and parasitoids. An efficient method for browsing all of this is available by using their Search Engine. Please visit the Save My Forest page, and consider leaving a donation to enable expansion of the conservation preserve.

A word of caution: It is anticipated that, through studies of life histories and DNA, some of the moths depicted here will eventually be described as species distinct from forms found in our area. Each photograph in this collection bears a voucher code as part of the filename (seen by right clicking on any photo). For instance, the voucher code for the photo of 4792 - Dichogama colotha is 92-SRNP-4249. By placing this voucher code in the search engine at ACG the current data for it may be seen and changes in status, if any, may be determined. ~ Bob Patterson