This is my first visit to this forum, so forgive me if my question is a repeat or in the wrong place. I'll be able to visit Ambergris Caye for just one afternoon in December. I'm a photographer and a fanatic for insects, spiders, and creepy crawlies. Any suggestions for a park, a tour, or good place to hike for a few hours?

You want a wooded area out of town. I would suggest a tour of the Marco Gonzalez Maya Ruins. It still has native stands of hardwoods and shrubs. This could easily be done in one afternoon, as it's just a few miles south of town.

Great suggestion Chica Blanca...We recently did the tour and I remember a super big insect nest in one of the trees....Not bees but I can't remember what they were....Lots of creepy crawlers to choose from and you get a great tour of a Virgin Mayan site....Have fun!

Do you recognize outlandish critters? I have a photo of one I found in the forest that I've had no luck identifying --- if I find it I'll scan it and see if you can tell me what it is /was.

check out the bug exhibit at the Belize Museum in Belize City. do not miss it. you will go bananas. you will be overwhelmed.

OH YEA - the "Bugs of Belize" exhibit is AMAZING.
How about that peanut bug - gives me the willies.

My first reaction was 'my place!' However I think Marco Gonzales is a better idea. I've gotten into photographing anything that moves. I was going to sacrifice some hermit crabs for their beautiful shells but first I put them on my glass top table and photographed them. After downloading the images and seeing those cute faces with the ‘bug yes’ I just couldn’t do it.

QUESTION: About a week ago a THING appeared in my garden. The two guys nearby swore it was a hummingbird. I was sitting so I could see the underside and it did not have bird legs it had insect legs. I looks kind of like a very big bumble bee in that the front is fuzzy black with a wide white band around the middle and the back end seems in be incased.

After several days it got into flying right up to my face, within arms reach and hovering before my glasses. Then it fly’s away, comes back a number of times. Tonight at twilight it was buzzing over and under my loggia that is half covered with purple allamanda. When I spotted it with a flashlight I soon realized there were two of them. In the artificial light they shone emerald green heads.

Any guess? References I can goggle?

Harriette,
It's a Hawk's Moth, unsure of exactly which one. Remember the large green Caterpillar in your yard? Probably him. They eat tomatoes, peppers and plants in the same family. They are fast. Here is a link to some of my butterfly photo's.

Butterfly and Moth photo album

Thanks - Yes, I researched goggle and they are Hummingbird Hawk Moths and yes they love Datura plants and one of the few insects that can actually pollinate them; and they do so purposely to feed their young. I guess I can let one of two green horn worms feed on one of my many Datura plants in order to save the species. LOL
Isn't it grand what we can learn here?

Thanks so much for all the suggestions. I'm no insect expert by any means, but have a pretty good foundation with North American species. Caribbean species may be a bit of a challenge. Marco Gonzalez Maya Ruins sounds like the perfect solution -- thanks Chica. I oogled over your butterfly photos, very nice. I don't know whether I can squeeze in the Belize Museum, but that sounds like a great time, as well. I do my best to support museums where ever I go.