When day fades, Origins Lodge awakens to another rhythm — one guided by the soft hum of insects, the echo of distant calls, and the silent grace of creatures that prefer the moon to the sun.
Among them, the Walking Stick, a true master of disguise, would surely be a Halloween star — blending into its surroundings so perfectly it feels like nature’s own costume.
This article invites you to meet the real stars of the dark — the nocturnal creatures that awaken under the moonlight: from the dazzling red-eyed tree frog, guardian of the rainforest shadows, to the fireflies, owls, and whispering night chorus that make our world glow after dusk.
Perhaps that’s why our private Night Tours with our naturalist guides are so popular — they reveal the rainforest’s most magical side.
Here in the northern rainforest of Costa Rica, nightfall is no time for stillness or fear. It’s when the forest reveals its hidden soul and beauty: red-eyed tree frogs glinting like living emeralds, bats tracing arcs across the starlit canopy, and glowing fireflies dotting the darkness like a constellation reborn.
The jungle doesn’t sleep — it transforms.
🌿 A Living Tapestry of Night
On our 111-acre estate, countless nocturnal species weave the invisible threads that sustain life by day:
the gentle kinkajou, prowling in the branches; the wise owl, keeper of the forest’s secrets; and the chorus of amphibians and insects whose songs replace the birds’ dawn melodies with a midnight symphony.
Their world is not ours — yet it welcomes those who walk slowly, listen closely, and let moonlight guide the way.
And just as these creatures find refuge in our protected lands, we find inspiration in their resilience and mystery.
Their presence reminds us that life at Origins Lodge is not defined only by the sunlight that bathes our villas, but by the darkness that shelters and renews all things.
🌙 Night Creatures — Jewels of the Dark
As the sun sinks beyond the volcanic ridges, the rainforest shifts its tempo. A gentle hush falls, and with it comes a new kind of enchantment — one made not of colors and light, but of whispers, movement, and glow.
For many guests, this is when fascination mingles with a touch of fear: every rustle feels alive, every flicker could be a secret waiting to be revealed.
It’s in this suspended moment that the rainforest unveils its most delicate performers — creatures that shimmer, crawl, and glide through the darkness with quiet majesty.
From the armored grace of the Rhinoceros Beetle, to the ghostly flight of the Owl Butterfly, and the luminescent poetry of the Glowworm Beetle, each plays its part in nature’s nightly symphony — a world where beauty doesn’t hide from the dark, it glows within it.
Let’s zoom in on these three jewels of the night:
🪲 1. Rhinoceros Beetle (Dynastes hercules)
One of the largest and most impressive beetles in the world, the Hercules beetle is a true icon of the Costa Rican rainforest.
Males can reach up to 17 cm long, their namesake “horns” gleaming under the moonlight. Despite their intimidating appearance, they are gentle giants — slow-moving and harmless, often appearing after rain, drawn to light or the scent of ripe fruit.
Their iridescent shells shift subtly from olive green to gold, and spotting one during a night walk feels almost mythical — a reminder of the rainforest’s prehistoric grandeur.
🦋 2. Owl Butterfly (Caligo eurilochus)
Although primarily crepuscular (active at dusk and dawn), these enormous butterflies are often seen gliding through the gardens of Origins in the early evening.
Their wings span up to 20 cm, patterned with large “eye” spots that resemble an owl’s gaze — nature’s clever disguise against predators.
Seen in the dim light, their slow, graceful flight and shimmering brown-blue hues evoke an otherworldly presence — part mystery, part poetry.
✨ 3. Glowworm Beetle (Phengodidae, known locally as “Cucuyo” or “Tren de la noche”)
Perhaps the most enchanting of all, the glowworm beetle transforms the rainforest into a living constellation.
Found in the undergrowth around Origins Lodge, these tiny bioluminescent insects emit a soft green glow — sometimes forming trails that locals affectionately call el tren de la noche, “the night train.”
Their light is more than mesmerizing; it’s meaningful — attracting mates, warding off predators, and reminding us that even in the deepest darkness, life finds a way to shine.
Watching them float between ferns and bromeliads under a starlit sky feels like witnessing the rainforest breathing light — subtle, magical, and profoundly alive.
🌘 The Sweet Thrill of the Night
During our nocturnal walks, guests often describe a sensation that hovers between fear and fascination — that primal thrill of stepping into the unknown.
The rainforest at night hums with mystery: the glint of a red-eyed tree frog, the rustle of wings in the canopy, the soft glow of fireflies guiding the way like tiny lanterns.
It’s a world that both surprises and soothes, reminding us that beauty often reveals itself where we least expect it — in the half-light, in the shimmer of life that awakens after dark.
Our passionate naturalist guides are there to reassure you and reveal the wonders hidden between the leaves.
This is the spirit we celebrate: the rainforest’s heartbeat at night, the symphony of creatures that make our estate come alive, and the quiet courage of those who venture out to meet it — oscillating between wonder and a delicious hint of fear, just like Halloween itself.
🌿 Why the Night Matters
The creatures of the dark are not merely symbols of mystery — they are vital to the rainforest’s balance.
By pollinating nocturnal flowers, dispersing seeds, and controlling insects, they ensure the cycle of life continues long after the sun sets.
Recent studies reveal that nocturnal biodiversity is at least as important as diurnal activity. At Origins, we witness daily that nature never stops — that nightlife is not about darkness and stillness, but about abundance and resilience.
Insects, in particular, play a tremendous ecological role, sustaining food webs, pollination networks, and ecosystem function worldwide.
🔗 Read the study on nocturnal biodiversity
At Origins Lodge, we honor their unseen labor by protecting habitats, curbing light pollution, and preserving silence — allowing the rainforest’s nocturnal world to thrive in its natural rhythm.
🔦 DID YOU KNOW? — Secrets of the Rainforest After Dark
✨ Five curious facts about the nocturnal world that awakens around Origins Lodge
🐸 1. The Red-Eyed Tree Frog — A Tiny Gentleman in the Canopy
At Origins, these vibrant emerald frogs are the stars of our night walks. Their scarlet eyes may look bold, but they’re actually shy romantics — and the males are smaller than the females, patiently clinging to their partner’s back for days during mating season.
💡 2. Fireflies — The Rainforest’s Natural Lanterns
When night falls, thousands of glowing cucuyos light up the forest trails. Each species has its own signature flash pattern, and some even synchronize in waves — turning the valley around Origins into a living constellation.
🦇 3. Bats — Silent Gardeners of the Night
Costa Rica shelters more than 110 species of bats, many of which are quiet heroes of reforestation. Nectar-feeding bats pollinate the balsa and ceiba trees, while fruit bats scatter seeds across the valley.
🌺 4. Night-Blooming Flora — Perfume of the Dark
As the sun sets, the rainforest’s perfume awakens. Moonflowers, Night-Blooming Jasmine, and Brunfelsia open their ivory petals only after dusk, releasing heady scents to attract their nocturnal pollinators.
🕷️ 5. The Walking Stick — Master of Disguise
Elegant in stillness, these delicate insects emerge only at night, blending perfectly with twigs and branches. Their genius? Disappearing in plain sight — every night, not just on Halloween.
🌌 A Halloween Reflection — What the Night Teaches
This Halloween, while others celebrate with masks and lanterns, we celebrate the original night masquerade — the one that unfolds each night among the trees.
We give:
🌙 our respect to the unseen
🦉 our protection to the wild
✨ our silence to the forest that sings after dark
And in return, nature rewards us. Our naturalist guides delight in revealing the glowing eyes, fleeting shadows, and hauntingly beautiful chorus that begins when the world sleeps.
At Origins Lodges, we remain devoted to this sacred balance — so that both guests and wildlife continue to choose us, in light and in shadow.
Having been honored this October in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards, we know this recognition is not only for our service, design, or gastronomy — it is also a tribute to the living biodiversity that makes our Origins Lodge Estate unique.
To us, this award feels like nature’s quiet nod — a recognition shared between our guests and the wilderness that surrounds us. A real treat for our eco luxury retreat.
