Moonflower, Ipomoea alba
How to learn about Ipomoea alba, moonflower, used to vulcanize rubber To show the Mayan world it helps to know the local plants Our educational program will have many components on the important utilitarian native plants of Guatemala. Each eco-system has different
Praying Mantis
Female praying mantis would make a good comic book anti-hero for our Maya comic book characters series Potential female Maya comic anti-heroes Occasionally we find praying mantis insects wandering around on the plants in our garden. Since we do not permit the
Pollinators
Beetles, butterflies, even flies and wasps help pollinate flowers, as do of course hummingbirds and many bat species What (in Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, etc) pollinates flowers besides bees? Since other than bees, many pollinator species are not known except to biologists, we
Maya bees
MayanToons compared with Maya the Bee and Maya animation software What is the difference between a Maya bee and Maya the bee? Maya the Bee (Die Biene Maja) was a common television program while I lived for close to 20 years in
Iguana Species
Although igunas spend time on the ground (and can swim) they also rest on tree limbs There are two species of iguanas in Guatemala spiny-tailed iguana, black iguana,Ctenosaura similis, green iguana, Iguana iguana, The “green” iguana is actually gray as an adult. Iguanas are eaten
Crocodile
Before we develop a Mayan animal comic book character, I endeavor to meet the animal(s) in-person, and learn about them eye-to-eye: even if it is a Crocodylus moreletii My personal experience with a Guatemalan crocodile As target practice in rural areas, children
Macaw
The Scarlet macaw was a logo for the Maya 1400 years ago Along with the toucan, the scarlet macaw is a worldwide favorite as a logo animal. Indeed the kings of Copan had the macaw as a logo animal for themselves
The chachalaca
Ortalis vetula of Guatemala, is a cute, friendly, raucous wild bird of the Mayan rain forests, and is a potential comic book cartoon character for MayanToons Our experience with Chachalacas, Ortalis vetula, a remarkable bird of Guatemala The best known chachalaca of the
Keel-billed Toucan
Keel-billed toucan, Ramphastos sulfuratus is a logo-like symbol of the Neotropical seasonal rain forests of Mesoamerica and adjacent areas (and hence a common corporate logo) When it came time to decide which animal we would use as a logo, I pretty
Boat-Billed Heron
Cochlearius cochlearius, boat-billed heron, is a rare wading bird featured by late Olmec and pre-Mayan artists for Tuxtla Statuette Discovery of a boat-billed heron, in the Canal de Chiquimulilla, near Monterrico Recently I had my first encounter with an unknown bird on