Amazonia- Part 3

Amazonia was incredibly frustrating in terms of photography. None of the animals were just sitting around waiting to strike a pose. I wasn't able to get many good pictures of the things I saw but here I'm going to share a few that I think are worthy of being shared (even though they don't represent the most beautiful, spectacular or breathtaking things you can find in the Amazon).

The flowering structures in Amazonia tend to be red or orange and are an amazing color contrast with the contiguous green from floor to canopy, making it easier for pollinators and seed dispersers to find them!

The insects were by far the easiest things to get pictures of. I found it remarkable that every single one I found was different from the last. These are a few of my favorites :)

A smiling wood-eating beetle. Ironically, I found this little guy in a pile of construction materials.

One of the many glass-wing butterflies.

 A sap-sucking katydid hanging upside down from a branch.

During my time at Tiputini I spent a ton of time above the forest floor. During the first few days at camp my reasoning for this was undoubtedly to escape the oppressive heat. But, as time went on, I realized that from the canopy you could see Amazonia's diversity in a whole different context. The birds, monkeys, amphibians and insects that reveal themselves 50 meters above the floor are entirely different than those one would encounter while walking the trails. Plus the views were incredible!

Looking down from the "eagle's perch" on the canopy bridges. 

Dangling over the continuous canopy. 

The reptiles and amphibians I stumbled upon were few and far between but every single one was fantastic.

An adorable tree frog.

Rainbow anole- very much out of place in the lower canopy.

Another rainbow anole. Incredible coloring.

Throughout the semester myself and several other students decided to help one of our professors, Jaime Guerra, in his work recording Ecuadorian bat species diversity and population sizes. In the beginning of the semester we learned how to set and check nets and watched while Jaime processed the bats to include the data in his research. By the time we got to Tiputini we were pros at processing the bats ourselves. Getting the opportunity to handle bats, not to mention some of the world's most rare species, was undoubtedly a highlight of this trip. I had no previous experience with these incredible flying mammals and I probably won't have an opportunity like this ever again but I am leaving Ecuador with a new found appreciation for murciélagos.

Lophostoma silviculum

Sturnira Magna, a pregnant female.

Myotis nigricans, a tiny individual weighing only 8 grams!

Artibeus lituratus

Our time at Tiputini flew by and even now it's hard to believe I spent an entire month in such an unbelievable place. And right now I'm finding it hard to conclude this series of blogs about my adventures in the Amazonian Rainforest. While I'm upset that my time there is over, I've seen and done some things that many scientists only dream of.