Today we went to see the Mayan ruins, Caracol!  The view was phenomenal! We also learned about how the Maya were able to create a complex calendar and language writing system,  about their social hierarchy, and a ball game they used to play called pok ta pok (probably named after what the ball sounded like when it hit the sides of the court).

Many of my fellow TFBs(tropical field biologists) kept pointing out beetles! Elena pointed out a small brown beetle with a golden y shape on its elytra. Pretty cool! Its yellow/tan and black stripes looks similar to a potato lead beetle, but had red accents on its pronotum and head which was different.

Faith showed me another beetle with black iridescent elytra with red on the sides.Most beetles have an iridescent tint because it actually aids in their ability to camouflage from other creatures!

I also saw a firefly that while lectures were going on at Las Cuevas! Can’t wait to see more beetles!

~Maegan