Top 20 Most Common Insects in Belize

The zebra longwing (Heliconius charithonia) is a beautiful butterfly that has a texture resembling a zebra. They feast and pollen and nectar, using the pollen to produce chemicals that poison predators if they are eaten, deterring most predators from attack. Unfortunately, their populations have been decimated after being caught in the crossfire of sprays meant to control mosquitos.

The julia heliconian feeds on nectar, with the passionfruit vine being a common host plant. The males will suck fluid from mud and decomposing plant matter to gain essential minerals, and they sometimes irritate the eyes of caimans and turtles in order to suck the tears they produce.

The banana spider (Nephila clavipes) is called that because it is commonly found in banana shipments leading from South America. There are many spiders that fit this category (often found in banana shipments), so this one is also called the Golden silk orb-weaver to distinguish them. This name is more related to the strength of its silk, which is stronger than steel based on tensile strength.

Abracris flavolineata is a right-winged insect from the family locusts (Acrididae). The scientific name of this species was first validly published in 1773 by De Geer.

Erinnyis ello, the ello sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is distributed from Argentina through Central America to the United States as far north as Nevada. The wingspan is 75–85 mm. The abdomen has gray and black bands. The forewing upperside of the female is pale gray with a few dark dots near the outer margin, while the forewing upperside of the male is dark gray and brown with a black band running from the base to the tip. In both sexes, the hindwing upperside is orange with a wide black border. Adults are on wing year-round in the tropics and southern Florida. Adults feed on the nectar of flowers, including common soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) and Chinese violet (Asystasia gangetica). The larva feeds on a variety of host plants, including papaya (Carica papaya) in the family Caricaceae; poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), Mexican jumping bean (Sebastiania pavoniana), Cnidoscolus urens, and cassava (Manihot esculenta) in the Euphorbiaceae; guavas (Psidium spp.) in the Myrtaceae; and saffron plum (Sideroxylon celastrinum) in the Sapotaceae. The ello sphinx can be parasitized by the braconid wasp Microplitis figueresi.

The moth is about 46 mm.

Pyrrhogyra neaerea is a butterfly from the Nymphalidae family. The scientific name of the species was first validly published in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus.

Intriguingly, northern warrior wasp are known for their highly territorial attitude, vigilantly protecting their colonies. This combative stance fortifies their unique roles as ecosystem guardians, disrupting potential threats and maintaining balance in their habitats. Their intriguing communication through vibrational signals adds another layer of complexity to their behavior. This masterful use of frequency enables them to alert their kin about danger, a testament to their advanced social structure. Furthermore, northern warrior wasp exhibits a striking trait of altruistic self-sacrifice in grave situations, underscoring their high degree of social cohesion.