Lizardo and Gabby left on their break last night after our evening critter walk. (All employees at Mashpi are on a 30 day work cycle. They are at the lodge 20 consecutive days, and then have a 10 day break. So today we met with a new (to us) guide, who is just back from his own break.
We met Anderson at 8:30 to head out on our last Mashpi excursion. We were driven to a trailhead and hiked downhill about 20 minutes to the Life Center. Mashpi uses a clever technique to construct trails on hills. They are constructed of plastic cubes, specifically, recycled Coca Cola crates. The crates are dug into the earth, packed with soil and rocks, and leveled off with additional soil. It’s very stable and prevents erosion.
The Life Center at the end of the trail has an open space where bananas can be put out to attract birds. The building contains a butterfly center and orchid nursery.
These big owls eye butterflies were attracted to Greg. There were several flapping around the room, looking for all the world like swallows.
The Butterfly Garden operates a breeding center. Anderson showed us all the various stages and care.
A display window contained chrysalises. A couple butterflies emerged while we were there.
Butterfly eggs
Larvae and a couple eggs. The larvae eat like crazy, chomping holes in the leaves.
Larvae and a couple eggs. The larvae eat like crazy, chomping holes in the leaves.
The larvae (caterpillars) grow and began to make their chrysalises (pupae). The leaf is pretty much decimated. The chrysalis for this caterpillar is shiny like mercury.
These are owls eye caterpillars - so much bigger, as are the butterflies. In a few days, it will begin preparing its chrysalis. A batch of similar chrysalises hung from the roof of a tank, like so many little bats.
Anderson rounded us up, reminding us we needed to get back to the lodge to check out and board our car back to Quito. We had only 48 hours in Mashpi, but I found it one of the most incredible memorable places I’ve been. How privileged we are to have been here.
We asked our driver to stop again at the Equator monument. Traffic had been challenging the whole drive, with a long delay at the side of the one-way dirt road into Mashpi waiting for oncoming traffic that never materialized. Then there were numerous logging trucks that backed up traffic on mountain roads. But Diego kindly obliged, asking us to keep the visit to 15 minutes.
This time it was open. We piled out of our two cars, bought tickets and hightailed it to the monument for a photo op astride the famed yellow line.
Middle of the world!
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