The nests of Killdeer and other shorebirds are extremely vulnerable to predators like dogs, rats and mongoose. They also rely on camouflage, so they may also be destroyed accidentally by people walking, horseback riding or ATV riding through nesting areas. In this photo, the Killdeer nest is actually relatively easy to spot because the mudflat is wet and dark, but […]

Here is a very young nymph of the leaf-mimic katydid Phoebolampta caeruleotergum. This species was discovered on St. Martin in 2006. It is possible that it also lives on other nearby islands, but I have not yet seen it documented anywhere except St. Martin. The adult is primarily green, with angular wings that make it look very much like a […]

The bellyache bush benefits from 24-hour pollination. During the day, butterflies like the great southern white visit bellyache bush flowers for nectar, and at night, moths like the striped grass looper do the same. To learn more about the rhythms of wildlife, from day to night, rainy season to dry and many more, attend the free Wildlife Beats workshop at […]

Here’s a green lynx spider eating a hoverfly that I photographed while doing a nature walk with Sister Marie Laurence School students. I am still impressed by small spiders capturing large prey. The hoverfly, like many from that family, is a bee-mimic. Looking like a bee may make them less appealing to some predators, but not to the green lynx […]

St. Martin is warm year-round, but has wet and dry seasons. Often, brush fires come with the dry season. In the past, they may have been started by lightning, and today they are more likely to be caused by people, either on purpose, or by accident. Fires can have a profound influence on the ecology of the island. Quick-burning fires […]

Here are some of the photos we took in the mini-studio I set up in the classroom at Sister Marie Laurence School. As you can see, the students were able to collect quite a wide variety of insects, spiders and other invertebrates. We also learned that if you keep two spiders in the same container one might get eaten.

Today at the Sister Marie Laurence School we tried something new. We went on a short hike near Belvedere and collected a few insects and spiders along the way. After the walk, I set up a mini photo studio in the classroom to take macro (very close-up) photos of the animals we found. I think it went really well and […]

The Yellow-crowned Night Heron is primarily nocturnal, as are many crabs, which are one of their favorite foods. They are just a couple examples of the many animals that are active at night. In fact, this bird is also known as the Crabier or Crab-eater. Many nocturnal species are unfamiliar to most people because they spend their days hiding. Between […]

Today at CIA I talked with the third grade class about the various relationships between plants and animals. Obviously, a lot of insects feed on plants, and one of the things we discussed was how various caterpillars have specific host plants, often because the plants have developed toxins and the caterpillars have developed the ability to handle specific toxins. One […]

Today I’m giving a presentation to third graders at CIA (Caribbean International Academy) about the relationships between plants and animals on St. Martin. Often insects and plants have evolved together to have both symbiotic and confrontational relationships. This photo shows an Ornate Moth feeding on nectar from a wild pea plant. Plants provide nectar for insects (and other animals) in […]