Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this web-site were taken by Paul Smith and Hugo del Castillo and are used with permission.
ENTOMOLOGICAL TOURS
Introduction:
Creepy-crawlies are not everybody´s cup of tea, but Paraguay´s invertebrate fauna is so diverse and extraordinary that we thought that it really should be celebrated with this unique tour. Led by Carlos Aguilar Julio of the Asunción Natural History Museum, you will spend your days and nights sampling insects in a variety of habitats. Carlos is a renowned world expert on Scarab and Long-horned Beetles, but of course his knowledge of other Paraguayan invertebrates is unrivalled.
Megasoma anubis (right)
FAUNA Paraguay tours are recommended by:
FAUNA Paraguay eco-tours are promoted by:
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Main Targets:
To explore the diversity of Paraguayan invertebrates with the emphasis on Coleoptera and Lepidoptera.
Recommended duration:
This tour is designed in consultation with the client. We recommend at least 10 days.
Best time to visit:
Insect activity is greatest from September to February when considerably more species are likely to be encountered than during the rest of the year. Insect populations can vary depending on climatic conditions and frequently they are greater following periods of rain. The rainy season in Paraguay is from late September to early November with a short wet period in April. At this time toads may be muddy.
Itinerary:
This tour is designed in consultation with the client. Note that the price per person per day for days in the Chaco differs from days spent in eastern Paraguay.
(Itineraries are subject to change according to levels of animal activity or client´s preference.)
What else might we see?:
On this tour you will have two tour leaders, one a Lepidoptera guide and another a general insect guide specialising in Coleoptera. Armed with light traps and various other capture methods we will be exploring the huge variety of species in the different locations that we sample. For Coleoptera we will be concentrating on three groups, the Scarabaeids (Scarabs), Cerambycids (Long-horned Beetles) and the Elaterids (Click Beetles), but other specimens we encounter will be identified where possible to generic or family level - of course considering the enormous diversity of invertebrates present in Paraguay and the lack of research that has been performed here it is an impossibility to identify all the insects we encounter to species level.
For Lepidoptera we will concentrate on the butterflies that we encounter during the day and the larger moths we encounter at night principally the Sphingidae (hawkmoths) and Saturniidae (emperor moths). Armed with a net each we will be catching (where necessary), identifying and releasing diurnal butterflies during the day with a brief siesta after lunch to recharge our batteries. By visiting a variety of different habitats you can guarantee a more diverse list of species, and though the Swallowtails (Papillionidae) and Brushfoot Butterflies (Nymphalidae) are the ones that will most grab your attention, we will not be neglecting the smaller species, the Skippers (Hesperidae) and Hairstreaks (Lycaenidae). These latter two families are very poorly known in this region and clients are encouraged to photograph them for confirmation of identification of some species.
Records of Scarab and Long-horned Beetles will be incorporated into an in prep guide to these two families that Carlos is preparing. Records of butterflies and moths from these tours will be incorporated into a national database of records and contributed to the Universidad de Pilar Butterflies of Paraguay Atlas Project. We aim to begin to establish the first site lists for Paraguayan butterflies ever compiled and begin to contribute to a better understanding of the remarkable diversity of species that inhabit the country.
Dysdaemonia fosteri (Saturniidae)
What does it cost?:
The price includes pick-up from and return to Asunción hotel, accommodation (including camping equipment), transport, food, non-alcoholic drinks and guiding fees.
It does not include travel insurance, personal expenses, alcoholic drinks or travel costs incurred before the beginning of the tour or after return to Asunción.
This tour has the following cost per day per person:
1 person - 350 (E Paraguay) 400 (Chaco) euros per day
2 people - 250 (E Paraguay) 275 (Chaco) euros per day
3 people - 200 (E Paraguay) 225 (Chaco) euros per day
For further information or to book your tour email us at faunaparaguay@yahoo.com.ar
Ask about off-season discounts (15 Feb-15 July).
THIS IS A NEW TOUR AND FOR 2011 BOOKINGS MADE BEFORE THE END OF MARCH 2011 WE ARE OFFERING A SPECIAL PRICE AS FOLLOWS:
1 person - 300 (E Paraguay) 350 (Chaco) euros per day
2 people - 225 (E Paraguay) 250 (Chaco) euros per day
3 people - 175 (E Paraguay) 200 (Chaco) euros per day
