(blue morpho) (unknown)    (unknown)              (Urania leilus)      (Unknown)         (Unknown)         (Heliconius Sara Theudela)

There are over 100 different species of katydids in tropical America.  Note the amazingly leaf-like wings, including veins and dead spots.  The harmless, huge cricket-like "spiny lobster" (middle) can be up to 5" long.

(last picture by øyvind Syrrist)

The beautifully camouflaged "leaf mantid" (right) walks with a slow, swaying motion that mimics the motion of a leaf in the breeze.

Militay millipede (right).  These very common, huge millipedes reach sizes up to 4" long.

The snail hunting "lamprey bug" (left) has a head that retracts into a luminescent tube, that glows at night.  One of my favorite insects.  As camouflaged as they are, walking sticks were commonly seen.  Most walking stick species are wingless and release chemicals as a secondary defense (their camouflage being, of course, their primary defense).

Fungus beetle, giant cockroach, giant click beetle, roach, unknown, assassin beetle.  The brightly colored fungus beetle can exude a noxious liquid from its legs and anus when disturbed.  There are 1,200 species of cockroach in Central and South America.  The giant cockroach can be up to 4" long.

Not a scorpion nor a spider, but another type of arachnid.  Although their spike-covered appendages look menacing, whip scorpions are harmless to humans.