Fresh Sheet – May 18, 2013

Ever wonder what’s going on inside a pupa as a caterpillar turns into a butterfly? Scientists are now able to make 3-D scans of butterfly chrysalises during metamorphosis. Click on the link. No glasses required!


Costa Rica

10 - Archeoprepona demophon (One-spotted Prepona)
28 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
58 - Catonephele numilia (Numilia)
06 - Eryphanis polyxena (Purple Mort Bleu Owl)
16 - Greta oto (Glasswing)
87 - Hamadryas laodamia (Starry Calico)
15 - Heliconius cydno (Cydno Longwing)
74 - Heliconius doris (Doris Longwing)
88 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
52 - Heraclides anchisiades (Ruby-spotted Swallowtail)
40 - Morpho peleides (Blue Morpho)
30 - Myscelia cyaniris (Blue Wave Butterfly)

Total = 504

“Fresh Sheet” is our weekly shipment report of pupae on display in the emerging window. Visit Pacific Science Center’s Tropical Butterfly House and meet our newest residents.

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More Animal Enrichment

Life Sciences staff recently added several more enrichment activities to our Reptile, Amphibian and Mammal (RAM) Zone exhibits. While a lot of thought and research go into developing enrichment activities, the results are sometimes best expressed through pictures.

Naked Mole Rats

In our attempts to expand our chamber system to new heights (literally!) we have run across the problem of them being unable to scurry up their tubes when they are at steep angles. The solution? A specially designed Naked Mole Rat Ladder! With this new corrugated tube, they should be able to more easily explore their developing second story.

Al’la’shuk the Western Painted Turtle

Al’la’shuk (or Ali for short) has successfully made it through his low-energy winter period and is ready for spring! In order to take advantage of his newly acquired energy, we gave him some companions to chase around. While no fish were harmed during the making of the following video, Ali has great potential to bring out his hunting instincts and potentially gulp down a fish or two. So far, these fish are definitely giving him a run for his money!
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Lydia the Leopard Gecko

Lydia is one of our longest-lived animals here at Pacific Science Center, and in her old age has deserved some MAJOR spoiling. But what’s the best way to spoil a leopard gecko? We think that a personal mani/pedi spa is just the trick with a nice bathtub to match. As recommended by Dr. Maas, occasional baths will help keep her hydrated while also allowing her pesky toe sheds to come off easily and prevent her from having any issues that come with shed build up!

We continue to work hard to develop enrichment activities for all of our animals here. So keep tuned and see what the spring time has to offer for all of them!

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Fresh Sheet – May 11, 2013

There is a lot of excitement this week in our Tropical Butterfly House! In addition to the blooming Corpse Plant and the amorously emerging Atlas Moths, we have over six hundred newly arrived pupae from Suriname and El Salvador.


Suriname

20 - Battus polydamas (Polydamus Swallowtail)
40 - Heraclides anchisiades (Ruby-spotted Swallowtail)
15 - Heraclides thoas (Thoas Swallowtail)
40 - Heliconius melpomene (Postman)
06 - Dryas iulia (Julia Longwing)
40 - Colobura dirce (Mosaic butterfly)
40 - Catonephele orites (Orange-banded Shoemaker)
40 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
19 - Mechanitis polymnia (Polymnia Tigerwing)
40 - Tithorea harmonia (Harmonia Tigerwing)

Total = 270

El Salvador

25 - Battus belus (Belus Swallowtail)
25 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
25 - Catonephele numilia (Halloween Butterfly)
20 - Dryadula phaetusa (Banded Orange Heliconian)
10 - Eurytides thymbraeus
15 - Heliconius charitonius (Zebra Longwing)
07 - Heliconius erato (Small Postman)
25 - Lycorea cleobaea (Large Tiger)
40 - Morpho polyphemus (White Morpho)
20 - Myscelia ethusa (Royal Blue Butterfly)
20 - Papilio androgeus (Queen Page)
10 - Papilio erostratus (Dusky Swallowtail)
10 - Papilio garamas(Magnificent Swallowtail)
10 - Papilio pilumnus (Three-tailed Swallowtail)
10 - Papilio torquatus (Band-gapped Swallowtail)
10 - Parides photinus (Queen of Hearts)
25 - Prepona demophon (One-spotted Prepona)
15 - Prepona omphale (Blue Belly-Button)
12 - Tithorea harmonia (Harmonia Tigerwing)

Total = 334

Grand Total = 604
“Fresh Sheet” is our weekly shipment report of pupae on display in the emerging window. Visit Pacific Science Center’s Tropical Butterfly House and meet our newest residents.

Read more!

Spring Awakening

Amid the smell of death, some moths are working on new life.

Spring has come to the Tropical Butterfly House, and with spring here, the smell of rotting corpses is not far behind. Our corpse plant, Amorphophallus bulbifer, is looking beautiful and getting ready to smell really bad. “Pinky” last bloomed in April 2011 followed by “Corpse Plant #2” a few weeks later.

Guests beware: Plan extra time in your visit because – believe it or not – people love this thing and the unmistakable odor it brings. Last time our corpse plant bloomed, a local television station stopped by for a sniff! Take a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27FViuHJEgM&feature=player_embedded

Meanwhile, we are having a run of Atlas moths (Atticus atlas). The giant cocoons of these moths have been visible in our emerging window since January. At last, the adult moths are making an appearance. And what an appearance it is! This morning, staff found two Atlas moths together working on the next generation.

Although Pacific Science Center’s permit from the Untied States Department of Agriculture (USDA) strictly regulates our ability to display caterpillars in the exhibit, the two moths shown above seem to have not read those regulations! Fortunately for their offspring, we are allowed to keep caterpillars in an enclosed container in an inspected part of the exhibit. With good fortune and good care, we may be displaying the atlas moths’ caterpillars in a few months in our emerging window. This could be a rare chance to watch them making their cocoons.

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