Yesterday (June 21) was our wedding anniversary of 34 years! To celebrate, we had a lovely dinner at Roca Verde in Dominical.
Out to celebrate at Roca Verde restaurant
On our way back to our casita, not far after we turned off the highway to go into Hatillo, we encountered what we first thought was a long stick in the road, but as we drove a little closer, we realized that it was really a very long snake…about six feet long. We had to stop to avoid running over it. Now, the rule of thumb in Costa Rica is to assume every creepy crawlie creature is poisonous until it’s proven otherwise. We were close enough to the snake that we could see its markings very well. We suspected that it was a Fer-de-Lance and we were correct. Eddie hopped out of the truck with camera in hand and snapped a photo. When the flash went off, the snake whipped around in the opposite direction. It was difficult to take a really good photo because it was dark and Eddie was keeping his distance. Eddie took another photo and the snake started slithering toward the grass. We decided that it was safer to take a picture from the truck, so Eddie slowly drove ahead and I snapped a photo from my open window.
The Fer-de-Lance (called Terciopelo in Spanish) is the most dangerous snake in Central America. This infamous viper’s large size, long fangs, and high venom production and toxicity make it one of the most dangerous creatures in Costa Rica. It’s responsible for 46% of all snakebites and the most snakebite-related deaths in the country. The Fer-de-Lance is nocturnal. It likes to hunt along the roads or trails through dense grass. It’s not afraid of humans and tends to strike when encountered instead of trying to escape. So, it’s not a good idea to walk along the road at night without a flashlight!
Over the years, we have encountered and photographed a variety of weird and interesting creatures around Costa Rica. Here are some of those photos for your viewing pleasure…
Blue Morpho
Caterpillar chrysalis
Some kind of bug on my leg
Brightly colored land crab
Cool frog climbing on the wall outside our door at night
Fancy grasshopper
Crocodiles at the Tarcoles River
Praying mantis with a cape?
Gecko – good for eating lots of insects!
Tiny gecko
Lobster locust – a small one
Leaf-cutter ants on a mission
a non-venomous snake in the garden
So, if you have made it this far without breaking into a cold sweat, then you’re qualified to visit us here in Costa Rica!
Costa Rica Leap 
These pictures are fabulous! I did love your parting comment…..as it did occur to me that not everyone would be excited to see some of these creepy crawlies…on a dark evening-or ever! you are one brave girl, Ellen!
Well said, Auntie M!!! I’m not very excited to see some of these creepy crawlies, either, but most of them don’t bother us. Glad that you think I’m brave 🙂
Happy belated anniv…. Do those bugs taste good?
Thanks, Britt! Have no idea if the bugs taste good. You’re the expert…you should come for a visit and try them out for us!
Sounds like a plan for me and the amazing Eddie !!
Fabulous photos! I feel like I am in on a great learning adventure!
Glad you are enjoying the blog, Barbara. We feel like we are on a great learning adventure, too!