Tag Archives: creatures of dominican republic

Creatures

Creatures 5 – Bugs

Creatures – Dominican Republic Bugs

The Dominican Republic has more bugs than humans, as with most countries. Some bugs are beautiful while others are just nasty and evil looking.

Red Bug |

St Andrews Cotton Stainer from Dominican Republic

The Red Bug is the simple name; the real name of this bright red bug is the St. Andrews Cotton Stainer (scientific name is Dysdercus andreae). These bright red mean-looking bugs are frightening looking yet do not bite humans. They are dangerous to cotton and other fruit trees and plants.

The Red Bug of Dominican Republic - St. Andrews Cotton Stainer feeding on portia seeds.
The Red Bug – St. Andrews Cotton Stainer feeding on portia seeds.

St. Andrews Cotton Stainers grow inside the of the Portia tree also known as the large-leaved tulip tree, a member of the mallow family. The red bugs also develop on cotton, where the species can grow much larger than on the portia tree. They feed on the seeds of the Sea Hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus) plant where they are found in large numbers feeding under the leaves or where the seeds fall to the ground.

Wild cotton growing in Dominican Republic, the favorite food of the Red Bug , St. Andrews Cotton Stainers.
Wild cotton growing in Dominican Republic, the favorite food of the Red Bug , St. Andrews Cotton Stainers.

These bright red-orange bugs with their distinctive markings are easy to see. The larvae are red and white. The adults have the distinctive white cross, the St. Andrews cross, filled in with black.

Close-up of the Red Bug of Dominican Republic adults and larvae feeding on portia seeds.
Close-up of the Red Bug of Dominican Republic adults and larvae feeding on portia seeds.

Found in South Florida and most of the West Indies islands, the bugs are considered to be agricultural pests. They are named cotton stainer because they stain the cotton bolls that they feed on. The red bugs puncture the boll, enter, feed and leave behind a stain ruining the cotton. They are one of the most destructive cotton pests. They also can damage orange and peach trees, okra and other plants.

Recources:
http://www.americaninsects.net/ht/dysdercus-andreae.html
https://www.farmersweekly.co.za/farm-basics/how-to-crop/know-your-crop-pests-cotton-stainer/

Creatures

Creatures Of The Dominican Republic

The Creatures of Dominican Republic

On the island of Hispaniola in the country of Dominican Republic we do have some wildlife to speak of. I’m not referring to the human-type of wild life, although this is here in abundance. The creatures, big and small are what I’m speaking of. The endangered, extinct and the creatures that are unique and thrive on this tropical island.

Here we have no large predatory animals to speak of. Nothing that is going to eat you alive, except for the mosquitoes (which I think should be considered as being the new national bird), and the no-seeums, that I have no idea what they look like but they leave their itchy red mark on the flesh. There are no really dangerous creatures on our island, other than maybe a rare crocodile, cayman, a scorpion, or a spider. Most tourists and people living in the cities never come across these things. Even the Dominican tarantula known as the Cacata is not an easy crawly to see. They usually don’t live in the cities and they usually only come out at night. Most of the cacatas/ tarantulas I have seen were thin anorexic spindly looking arachnids. I know people that have seen giant car-covering spiders carrying a cat away in its dripping fangs, lol. Really there are some very large spiders here but not quite that big.

Page 1 – Nocturnal, 2 – More, 3 – Winged, 4 – Pictures

Hispaniolan Hutia/ Capromyidae

Agouta or Juron/ Hispaniolan Solenodon

Cacata/ Tarantula

Manatee

Jaragua Sphaero

Heteropoda Venatoria/ Huntsman Spider

Noseeums (biting insects)

Hispaniola Boa/ Boa de la Hispaniola

The Hispaniolan Woodpecker/ Pájaro Carpintero de la Hispaniola

The Village Weaver / Madame Sagá

Black Witch Moth

Vine Sphinx Moth

Under The Dominican Sea

Miscelaneous Pictures

A turkey and some Guinnea Hens.
A turkey and some Guinnea Hens.

Dominican Republic has no creatures that will kill you

Here we have no large animals to speak of. Nothing that is going to eat you alive, except for the mosquitoes (which I think should be considered as being the new national bird), and the no-seeums, that I have no idea what they look like but they leave their itchy red mark on the flesh. There are no really dangerous creatures on our island, other than maybe a rare crock, cayman, a scorpion, or a spider. Most tourists and people living in the cities never come across these things. Even the Dominican tarantula, known as the Cacata, is not an easy crawly to see. They usually don’t live in the cities and they usually only come out at night. Most of the cacatas/ tarantulas I have seen were thin anorexic spindly looking arachnids. I know people that have seen giant car-covering spiders carrying a cat away in its dripping fangs, lol. Really there are some very large spiders here but not quite that big.

Parrots are nesting in the holes of a wall.
Parrots are nesting in the holes of Ruinas El Hospital San Nicolas de Bari.

The Birds

The island seems to be inhabited mostly by birds, of all types and colors and lizards, of many sizes and shapes. There are the basic domestic animals not native to the island. There are many cows, goats, chickens and horses. You may even encounter a rabbit that escaped from captivity and made its home in the countryside. There used to be wild boars but they are almost gone and have only been spotted in the mountains where there is little human population.