Latest News
Here is the latest news from REGUA and Guapi Assu Bird Lodge. For older news see the news archive page.
06 April 2013
Tree hopper vs. Leafhopper
Tree hoppers and thorn bugs are quite the most amazing looking insects of the Membracae family, of which 3200 species are known in 600 genera. They are particularly amazing looking and are characterized by having an overgrown pronortum, the dorsal part of the their prothorrax, that makes up their exoskeleton head armour. They take on curious shapes and sizes for small insects and though they only live for a short few weeks, sucking sap from plants they have been around for 40 million years. REGUA has its fair share and our entomologists are always on the look-out for them. These are small black and white tree hoppers, Membracis dorsata and were seen in the reforestation area.
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| Membracis dorsata (Photo by Nicholas Locke) |
They are not to be confused with Leafhoppers or Cicadellidae, minute plant leaf sap suckers and able to jump huge distances. There are over 40 sub families so one expects more leafhoppers than their cousin tree hoppers. This bright red one is a nymph stage and we shall wait to see which mature hopper he will develop into. It was found on the low leaves of the dense vegetation on our green trail to the waterfall. The web has been brilliant for insects not for catching them, but involving a huge number of enthusiasts around the world sharing images and data to help identify them, monitor them, talk about them and increase our knowledge of these extraordinary animals.
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| Leafhopper nymph (Photo by Nicholas Locke) |
Posted by Nicholas Locke
05 April 2013
Puro Coffee blog about REGUA
Puro Coffee have been helping REGUA protect the Atlantic Forest in the Guapiacu Valley by providing funds to purchase land to incorporate into the reserve, and have generously purchased a 395 acre forest fragment within the Tres Picos State Park that has helped create a vital corridor with the rest of the reserve (see here). Puro's Tamara Wolf has been blogging about REGUA. In her latest blog, Tamara tells the story of Adilei Carvalho da Cunha - one of our bird guides. Adilei's reputation as top bird guide has spread rapidly, and his incredible ability to mimic bird calls has made him quite a celebrity! To read Tamara's latest blog post click here.
Posted by Lee Dingain
Another Glittering Sapphire found at REGUA
Yesterday morning Jorge found this beautiful blue butterfly, the Glittering Sapphire Lasaia agesilas, in the office yard of which I got a photo to share with you. According to Jorge, Alan Martin was the first to see it at REGUA (at the waterfall) and obtain a photographic record. This is a male. The female has no blue colouring. It comes in the yard in the morning and then forages elsewhere, flowers and wet clay being its preference. Common in lowland forest, its distribution ranges from northern Argentina to southern Mexico, the caterpillar feeding on Zygia and Inga.
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| Lasaia agesilas, REGUA, 4 April 2013 (Photo by Nicholas Locke) |
Posted by Nicholas Locke
04 April 2013
The perfect resting place
The long awaited garden platform has finally been opened, offering the most fantastic views across the wetlands and mountains. The remarkable tree growth around the lodge has gradually blocked off the panoramic views from the garden so we were faced with a choice: to chop some trees down or rise above them. The simple option was quickly forgotten as Nicholas's plans to create a two-storey roofed viewing platform at the top of the driveway developed. Apart from the magnificent views, it has become a wonderful place to watch the roosting egrets coming and going as well as the flocks of tanagers that are at eye-level. And it isn't too far away to carry the evening caipirinhas to see the sun go down.
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| The new viewing platform on the edge of the lodge garden (Photo by Alan Martin) |
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| The incredible view from the garden viewing platform (Photo by Alan Martin) |
Posted by Alan Martin
World Land Trust US visits REGUA
Between the 25th February and the 1st March REGUA played host to the board of trustees of the World Land Trust US who are normally based in Washington. At the end of last year one of the trustees, Bob Ridgely, had visited REGUA and proposed it as an ideal location to hold the meetings whilst also providing the opportunity for all his colleagues to see and hear more about REGUA's work and the challenges facing it. As well as the daily meetings in the lodge, everyone walked the Green Trail and most also visited Mount Caledonia, but the birding was rather disappointing and the weather not ideal. However the discovery of a small pale blue treefrog on the Green Trail, which we think may be the first record since 1980 of a species endemic to the Serra dos Orgaos and feared to be extinct, was a definite highlight and demonstrated perfectly how much more there is to learn about the threatened wildlife of the Atlantic Rainforest and its need for protection.
The success of the week has made us wonder whether there is a market in Brazil for corporates to hold small off-site meetings at REGUA during the quieter months. You don't have to be a fanatical birder to enjoy the peace and quiet and hospitality at REGUA.
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| World Land Trust US meeting at REGUA (Photo by Alan Martin) |
Posted by Alan Martin
Telebasis, a genus of flying pieces of blood coral
There are the Argia damsels, the most speciose genus of New World Coenagrionids, and then there is Telebasis, with almost 60 described species the second most speciose genus. Telebasis species come basically in two flavours, red and blue. In REGUA up to four species have now been identified, all belonging to the reddish species. And with their bright red abdomens these tiny damsels are reminiscent of the precious blood coral from the oceans. Although they can all be recognized in hand by the shape of their appendages, it is in fact possible to separate them in the field. To work out the field characteristics of Odonata to aid their identification is one of the main purposes of our work at REGUA.
When visiting the wetlands at REGUA the most common of these four species, T. corallina, is hard to miss when you know where to look. As all Telebasis species, it is relatively inconspicuous, mostly staying low in the grasses along the verge of the wetland and amongst the emergent vegetation in the wetlands. But when you take the time to peruse such places you realise it is in fact all over the place.
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| Male Telebasis corallina (Photo by Tom Kompier) |
Tiny T. filiola is the second most common species, but it is much more difficult to find, seemingly preferring water of better quality, with lush emergent vegetation and nearby forest. Unlike T. corallina, it is often found low in the trees and bushes nearby, but a little removed from, water bodies. It is easily recognized by its small size and striped thorax, but beware: T. willinki is very similar. Luckily that species has not been recorded in the Guapiaçu catchment yet, but who knows.
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| Telebasis filiola (Photo by Tom Kompier) |
The third species is T. griffinii. It is very similar to T. corallina, although somewhat smaller. Apart from the dorsal side of the thorax, which is marked by a more diffuse dark cloud along the dorsal ridge instead of the two clear-cut straight lines of T. corallina, it differs in having a red snout, not lime-green. It seems to inhabit even better quality ponds, with lush emergent and floating vegetation and forested edges. At REGUA it has been found at two locations. These records are of note, as the species had not been recorded at Rio de Janeiro state before.
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| Male Telebasis griffinii (Photo by Tom Kompier) |
The last species to mention has been recorded at only one location and is probably rare in Rio de Janeiro state. This is T. carmesina, another species very similar to T. corallina, but with broader clear-cut stripes along the dorsal ridge of the thorax. Like T. corallina, its snout is greenish, but the ventral side of the thorax is whiter and the appendages are differently shaped. That is difficult to establish in the field unless it is caught and because it is so similar to T. corallina it may be under recorded. Like its brothers and sisters it keeps to the emergent vegetation along the edge of ponds.
If we take a quick look at the relationships in the genus, T. corallina was recorded together with all three other species, T. griffinii was seen with both T. corallina and T. filiola, but T. carmesina only with T. corallina. There were no bushes and trees along the verge of the pond where it was found , which may explain the absence of the other two. Now, the million dollar question is: which congeners did T. filiola occur with?
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| Male Telebasis carmesina (Photo by Tom Kompier) |
Posted by Tom Kompier
Grassland Yellow-finch - another new bird for REGUA
On 6 December 2012, our bird guide, Adilei, was at the wetland when he found an unfamiliar bird sitting on a wire. He managed to take a few photos before the bird flew off, and after consulting field guides and other birders he identified the bird as a Grassland Yellow-finch Sicalis luteola - a new bird for REGUA. This austral migrant breeds in Argentina and Uruguay and winters in South-west Brazil, Paraquay and Bolivia, reaching as far north as Peru. It is absent from the Atlantic coastal states of Brazil, and they are very rare visitors to Rio de Janeiro state. Grassland Yellow-finch is actually not a finch at all but a species of seedeater, now considered tanagers. As the name suggests, they inhabit open grassland habitats. This record bring the REGUA bird list to an astonishing 465 species! Well done Adilei for such an excellent find!
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| Grassland Yellow-finch Sicalis luteola, REGUA, 6 December 2012 (Photo by Adilei Carvalho da Cunha) |
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| Grassland Yellow-finch Sicalis luteola, REGUA, 6 December 2012 (Photo by Adilei Carvalho da Cunha) |
Posted by Lee Dingain
Probable nesting record of Small-billed Elaenia (Elaenia Parvirostris) in Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu (RJ)
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| Small-billed Elaenia Elaenia Parvirostris (Photo by Michael Patrikeev) |
On 6 October 2011, Michael Patrikeev found an unusual elaenia nesting in a sapling at the REGUA wetland. Elaenias are difficult to identify, however, careful field observations and analysis of photos identified the species as Small-billed Elaenia. This record not only constitutes the first breeding record for REGUA, but also for Rio de Janeiro state. To download and read Michael Patrikeev's excellent article click here.
Posted by Lee Dingain
Bee hive relocated
A swarm of bees has been growing close to the start of the yellow trail here at REGUA. These were identified as most likely being European Honey Bees Apis mellifera. As this is one of our main trails, to lessen the chances of the bees being disturbed and staff and visitors attacked, the decision was made to attempt to relocate the hive. Local bee-keeper, Odinho Cunha, was called in to help. Odinho inherited his passion for wildlife from his father who was one of the first ecologists in the Guapiaçu area.
Once the smoker is lit and producing sufficient smoke, the equipment, including the new hive are moved closer to the bees. Odinho then suits up and prepares for action. The long grass in the area around where the swarm has been seen is then cleared with a brushcutter in order to find the hive itself. The hive is found inside an old tree stump. Odinho reaches into the hive and removes some of the honeycomb. This is then placed in the new hive in order to encourage the bees to relocate their home there.
If we are successful, within the next few weeks, the bees should have moved completely. Once settled into the new hive, we are then free to relocate them to a safer location that will hopefully be mutually beneficial for both parties.
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| Probable European Honey Bee Apis mellifera (Photo by Stuart Tabner) |
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| Local bee-keeper, Odinho Cunha (Photo by Stuart Tabner) |
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| Local bee-keeper, Odinho Cunha (Photo by Stuart Tabner) |
Posted by Stuart Tabner
December-January survey of Odonata at REGUA turns up 160 species
After the very productive survey in September-October it seemed unlikely to top its result of 115 identified species, but just the first week of our December-January survey we already topped 130. Of all 173 species recorded during our research to date, a cool 160 were found during our recent three week research period. To put that number in perspective, this is well over the number of Odonate species recorded in the whole of Europe.
With the advent of summer, not just the temperatures were up. Dragonflies and damselflies were abundant and not only in the obvious places. Of course the wetlands around the lodge were very productive, but now the trails in the forests also yielded many species all the way up to 1000m asl and higher. It is on the forest trails that many of the endemic damselflies are found. Let's take a look at some of the more spectacular finds.
After a brief glimpse of an emerald Corduliinae in April 2012 at the top of the Salinas trail at approximately 1050m asl, at last emeralds were relocated again. In hand the species was verified as Navicordulia kiautai. This is one of the rare Atlantic Rainforest emeralds and had been recorded only twice before and never in Rio de Janeiro State. On subsequent visits it was seen regularly patrolling at midday above a wide trail bordered on both sides by forest. Up to 6 individuals were seen on any given day. Maybe the flight period is restricted, as it is unlikely that it was overlooked on previous visits.
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| Male Navicordulia kiautai (Photo by Tom Kompier) |
Unexpected as well was the pretty Phyllocycla species recorded in the amazingly productive Forest Fragment not far from the lodge at 30 m asl. This patch of lowland forest is part of the reserve and a testimony to its wealth. To date 10 gomphids have been found here and at least 4 Phyllocycla species are present. This individual stood out because of its very distinctive and whitish patterning, quite unlike the other gomphids present. Eventually it could be identified as P. viridipleuris, a species of which the occurrence in Southeastern Brazil is shrouded in mystery. Likely, it is rare.
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| Male Phyllocycla viridipleuris (Photo by Tom Kompier) |
There are many species of Leptagrion forest dwelling damsels in Rio de Janeiro State, but during the whole of 2012 during all surveys only once a female Leptagrion was seen that did not belong to the omnipresent Leptagrion macrurum. At long last Susan Loose, a volunteer working on Odonata, located an unknown Leptagrion species at the beginning of the Green Trail, which turned out to be L. elongatum. Not a day after it was photographed and identified, a female of the same species was found right next to the reserve office!
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| Male Leptagrion elongatum (Photo by Tom Kompier) |
Another interesting and surprising find at the Forest Fragment was a Mangrove Darner Coryphaeschna viriditas. On a very hot day an older female was found hanging along the forest edge. Professor Carvalho commented on the rarity of this species in Rio de Janeiro State. Clearly any greenish larger Aeshnid deserves careful attention, as they are around!
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| Female Coryphaeschna viriditas (Photo by Tom Kompier) |
The last species to mention, although not mentioning all the other gems encountered is really an insult to them for which I apologize, is a Minagrion. After the September-October survey we did a short special to introduce this fabulous genus. During December we saw both Minagrion ribeiroi, so that species definitely also flies during the austral summer, and a third species, beautiful orange and blue Minagrion waltheri. This was found in bogs on the plain at Salinas, where is keeps inside the grassy emergent vegetation. It is another fabulous representative of this exquisite genus. Now three of the known five species have been recorded at REGUA. Who is to say what more is out there...
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| Male Minagrion waltheri (Photo by Tom Kompier) |
Posted by Tom Kompier
New butterfly for the Três Picos State Park found at REGUA!
On 12 January, while Sue went to the Small Wetland in search of dragonflies, I decided to read on the veranda of Volunteer House 3. Just after the rain stopped, my attention was caught by something that looked like Battus crassus - an Aristolochia vine feeding troidini swallowtail, not common in this time of the year - or its smaller mimic Heliconius sara apseudes. But something seemed not to fit, so I stayed seated on my chair observing the butterfly insistently circling the Lime tree and noticed there were no flowers at all on it. Oh oh, this could be a female laying eggs? But wait a minute, Battus swallowtails don't lay eggs on Citrus trees! With this 'Red alert' I got up and ran to see closer.
It vanished for a while, came back and perched for a minute on a top branch, close enough to see that the forewing looked like Battus crassus, but the hindwing had a series of blue lunules, absent from the mentioned trodin. I couldn't figure out what it might be, not a Mimoides sp. because these have red dots on the body and lay eggs on Annona and Lauraceae, so it just came to my mind that it could be something that I have never seen in 17 years of living in Brazil: a female of Heraclides androgeus laodocus! It came back twice and I saw it lay one egg. I was so excited that I forgot to run for the camera and then it vanished. I have found FIVE eggs. I'm going to try to rear a couple of the eggs laid in the lab, and see if I can get nice pictures of the recently emerged adults. This is for sure a gorgeous butterfly, and only 15 m from the REGUA administration office!
This is not only a new REGUA record, but also new for the Três Picos State Park - PETP! I have seen just one male (see here) - in Boca do Mato, above Cachoeiras on the road to Nova Friburgo. The male is HUGE, even larger than Heraclides thoas brasiliensis, the species more commonly seen sipping water from mud around the wetlands.
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| Egg of Heraclides androgeus laodocus (Photo by Jorge Bizarro) |
Posted by Jorge Bizarro
The REGUA wetlands, challenges for fresh water management
REGUA created its wetlands in 2005 and 2007, with the generous funding by Mr Stephen Rumsey of the Wetlands Trust, UK and Dr Nancy Weiss from the US. Fed by a small water catchment of 100ha, the stream in the center of an area of cattle pasture was blocked to create a flooded area of 8 ha. A concrete lined outlet was constructed to ensure flooding would not erode its outflow.
When any area is flooded with fresh water, colonization by fauna and flora rapidly occurs fuelled by the suns energy and a new ecosystem is formed. Fortunately for the REGUA project, fresh water ecologist Professor Tim Moulton of the RJ state University (UERJ) visited REGUA with his wife orchid specialist Rosario at this moment of flooding and Tim saw the opportunity of monitoring a newly formed ecosystem to quantify these natural processes that make wetlands such a productive habitat.
Dissolved minerals and released carbon dioxide from remnant flooded vegetation give life to the smallest microscopic plant forms, phytoplankton. Phytoplankton is able to make organic compounds, the basis of the aquatic food chain and is known as agents for primary production. Feeding on phytoplankton is zooplankton, a category of organisms ranging from protozoans and metazoans, capable of independent movement and in turn also a food source. Healthy wetlands have an abundance of phytoplankton and zooplankton, both providing rich feeding fields for higher trophic levels, increasing the biodiversity associated with this habitat.
Wetland's associated plants are called macrophytes and divided in three major categories; reeds, submerged plants and floating plants. They grow independently and are important for the biology of other water life. The depth of water is important and low levels of sunlight restrict the growth of reeds and submerged plants, but shallow water provide ideal conditions for submerged macrophytes. The surface can also be quickly colonized by floating plant species such as the common Wolfia, Azolla and Lemna but their build up reduces sunlight to the submerged plants. One submerged species is Egeria (common oxygen weed used in fish tanks) and it offers many higher order species a vertical structure for biodiversity associated with wetlands.
Generally associated with inundated low lying land, wetlands receive inflow from the surrounding land mass. As higher trophic order species invade this productive habitat a change of nutrient levels may be expected. Inputs such as sewage, land fertilizers, cattle manure or excessive bird roosting can push up the phytoplankton population and when this happens, the wetland becomes eutrophic. Water clarity or turbidity can be measured and excess phytoplankton may consume valuable oxygen leading to fish mortality in some cases in effect affecting the very health of the wetland itself.
We are very fortunate to have Tim's son Lucas working on various experiments and his interest is testing the tipping point of nutrient build up, to discover at what stage does a wetland become eutrophic. He will be evaluating the quality of the submerged Egeria plants to tell him what value of point of Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P), the two main elements causing eutrophic, is a wetland considered unproductive. He has designed some plastic tanks (mesocosms) which are used to isolate a portion of the water body and he is able to add varying doses of nutrients (NP) and gain an idea of the response of the aquatic ecosystem. So far he has been amazed to see that the plants are resisting extremely high doses and his studies are taking him to examine closely the reasons for their tolerance.
Aside the strategic importance of fresh water on this planet, wetlands are very important and productive habitats for our fauna and flora. They are increasingly used for stocking clean water and for cleaning domestic and industrial used water. The study of water habitats and their health as measured by aquatic macrophytes as a response to human related factors that generate nutrient fluctuations is of major importance to us all in relation to our future.
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| The wetland area in 2004 before restoration began (Photo by Nicholas Locke) |
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| Micaela and Lucas studying the wetlands (Photo by Nicholas Locke) |
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| The wetlands in 2009 (Photo by Nicholas Locke) |
Posted by Nicholas Locke
Rusty-margined Flycatchers
It always difficult to see the Rusty-margined Flycatcher Myiozetetes cayanensis, though its distribution is widespread over South America. In the Atlantic rainforest it is seen mostly in Rio de Janeiro State. A bird used to forest clearings, an open country bird. It has a plaintive call and if it is seen at all, the rusty margins on the wings are sometimes hard to pick out. Adilei and Kameliya were lucky on the Veludo trail and found a displaying male and female where the brown margin and the orange crest are easily identifiable. This photo by Adilei helps us understand those distinguishing features.
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| Rusty-margined Flycatcher Myiozetetes cayanensis (Photo by Adilei Carvalho da Cunha) |
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| Rusty-margined Flycatcher Myiozetetes cayanensis (Photo by Adilei Carvalho da Cunha) |
Posted by Nicholas Locke
New REGUA newsletter now online!
2012 was a fantastic and very busy year at REGUA! To read Nicholas and Raquel's account of all the exciting developments, go to our newsletters page.
Posted by Lee Dingain