Fresh Sheet – March 31, 2012

Visit our Tropical Butterfly House during this weekend’s Paws-on Science: Husky Weekend. You may just see some purple and gold!



El Salvador

20 - Battus belus (Belus Swallowtail)
15 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
30 - Catonephele numilia (Numilia)
16 - Consul fabius (Tiger Leafwing)
12 - Dryadula phaetusa (Banded Orange Heliconian)
10 -Heliconius erato (Small Postman)
12 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
10 - Lycorea cleobaea (Large Tiger)
60 - Morpho peleides (Blue Morpho)
20 - Morpho polyphemus (White Morpho)
25 - Myselia cyaniris (Blue Wave Butterfly)
30 - Myscelia ethusa (Royal Blue Butterfly)
10 - Papilio pilumnus (Three-tailed Swallowtail)
10 - Parides photinus (Queen of Hearts)
20 - Archeoprepona demophon (One-spotted Prepona)
25 - Prepona omphale (Blue Belly-Button)

Total = 325

LPS LLC

20 – Argema mimosa (African Moon Moth) KENYA
10 – Cethosia biblis (Red Lacewing) PHILIPPINES
10 – Cethosia cyane (Leopard Lacewing) THAILAND
20 – Charaxes castor (Giant Charaxes) KENYA
10 – Charaxes cithaeron (Blue-spotted Charexes) KENYA
20 – Chilasa clytia (Common Mime) THAILAND
20 – Euphaedra neophron (Gold-banded Forester) KENYA
10 – Euploea core (Common Crow) THAILAND
20 – Graphium agamemnon (Tailed Jay) PHILIPPINES
10 – Hypolimnas bolina (Blue moon) PHILIPPINES
18 – Idea leuconoe (Paper Kite) PHILIPPINES
05 – Ornithoptera priamus (New Guinea Birdwing) USA
02 – Papilio demodocus (Orchard Swallowtail) KENYA
20 – Papilio lowii (Sunset Swallowtail) PHILIPPINES
10 – Papilio polytes (Polite Swallowtail) PHILIPPINES
20 – Papilio rumanzovia (Crimson Swallowtail) PHILIPPINES

Total = 250

Grand Total = 575

“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!

Giant Brazilian Cockroaches

Several alert staff members have pointed out that one of the Giant Brazilian cockroaches has crumpled wings. Life Sciences staff is aware of this. Although we can’t fix the wings, we do not consider the animal to be in distress. But it does bring up some interesting questions about the processes of metamorphosis and insect life cycles.



To review the life cycle of cockroaches, they are among the insects that go through incomplete metamorphosis. Younger insects resemble miniature versions of the adult, except that they lack wings and mature reproductive organs. When they reached full size, they molt for a final time, and become adults with developed wings. After that, they can fly and they can reproduce, but they can never shed their exoskeleton again.


Insects with incomplete metamorphosis can often recover from damage received early in their lives. If a limb is lost, a stubby new one can grow in after the next molt. With each successive molt it becomes closer in size to an undamaged limb, though it will probably never be quite as big. You can see some of our stick insects with regrown limbs. Other arthropods, like crabs, have similar regenerative abilities. However, once the final shed takes place, the insect is no longer able to replace parts
.

In the case of our crumpled roach, the final shedding process was probably interrupted by something. Perhaps the roach fell, or was stepped on by another insect. Maybe it was feeding time and the roach hurried to eat before drying fully. We don’t know the details, but the end result was that the wings did not dry flat. For an insect living in a secure caged environment, this is not a deal breaker. The roach can get to food and water, and doesn’t seem to have underlying health problems. If you’d like to see it or any of the other Giant Brazilian cockroaches on exhibit, plan a visit to Pacific Science Center’s Insect Village soon!

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Fresh Sheet – March 24, 2012

Not all of the butterflies in our Tropical Butterfly House are exclusively "tropical." This week's pupae shipment includes a species that famously migrates from northern South America to southern Canada. Can you guess which one?


Costa Rica

05 - Agraulis vanilla (Gulf Fritllary)
13 - Caligo atreus (Yellow-Edged Giant-Owl)
13 - Caligo eurilochus (Forest Giant Owl)
14 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
13 - Catonephele mexicana (Mexican Catone)
29 - Catonephele numilia (Numilia)
15 - Danaus plexippus (The Monarch)
16 - Dryadula phaetusa (Banded Orange Heliconian)
08 - Dryas iulia (Julia Longwing)
08 - Eryphanis polyxena (Purple Mort Bleu Owl)
03 - Eueides isabella (Isabella’s Longwing)
04 - Greta oto (Glasswing)
12 - Hamadryas amphinome (Red Calico)
04 - Hamadryas arinome (Blue Calico)
15 - Hamadryas feronia (Variable Calico)
12 - Hamadryas laodamia (Starry Night Calico)
17 - Heliconius charitonius (Zebra Longwing)
17 - Heliconius cydno (Cydno Longwing)
24 - Heliconius doris (Doris Longwing)
06 - Heliconius erato (Small Postman)
19 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
08 - Heliconius hewitsoni (Hewitson’s Longwing)
20 - Heliconius ismenius (Ismenius Longwing)
17 - Heliconius sapho (Sapho Longwing)
17 - Heraclides anchisiades (Ruby-spotted Swallowtail)
16 - Hypna clytemnestra (Silver-studded Leafwing)
40 - Morpho peleides (Blue Morpho)
21 - Myselia cyaniris (Blue Wave Butterfly)
18 - Nessaea aglaura (Aglaura Olivewing)
08 - Opsiphanes tamarindi (Tamarind Owl)
16 - Parides iphidamas(Transandean Cattleheart)
15 - Philaethria dido (Scarce Bamboo Page)
10 - Phoebis philea (Orange Barred Sulfur)
15 - Phoebis sennae (Cloudless Sulphur)
16 - Siproeta stelenes(Malachite)

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.
Read more!

Desert Butterflies

As Seattle endured a late blast of cold weather and a mild dusting of snow last week, peripatetic Life Sciences Volunteer, Terry Pagos, vacationed in sunny Arizona. One of the highlights of her trip was a visit to the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. Here's why.



Not only do I love to visit butterfly exhibits in different places, I also try to learn the different husbandry techniques and hopefully, bring back new ideas for our Tropical Butterfly House. My visit to the Desert Botanical Garden’s Maxine and Jonathan Marshall Butterfly Pavilion in Phoenix was no exception.

The primary difference between Pacific Science Center’s Tropical Butterfly House and the DBG Butterfly Pavilion is that ours is an indoor garden conservatory whereas theirs is a screened-in structure, exposed to the elements. The outdoor temperature really matters for this exhibit. A netted tent-like building makes sense in a desert climate, but it also limits the exhibit's season, which is from March 3 to May 13. Any earlier and it could be too cold. Any later - it will be too hot for the butterflies.


As guests and readers of this blog know, Pacific Science Center receives an average of 500 butterfly pupae per week from all over the tropical world via overnight shipping. These pupae are almost immediately displayed in an emerging window until they emerge as adults ready for flight. The Desert Botanical Garden, on the other hand, receives fully emerged butterflies from a butterfly farm in Florida, again by overnight transport. These animals are shipped in a slightly cooled condition and revived once their container is opened in the warm garden. When I was there, the garden was alive with flying butterflies everywhere!


Pacific Science Center has more cubic feet of space for butterflies to fly but that also translates to more places for them to hide from view to the public. Perhaps it is the lower ceiling at the DBG Butterfly Pavilion, the abundant sunshine, the sociable nature of their species, or all three of these factors that made the butterflies feel very accessible for viewing. I didn’t spot any butterflies clinging to the netting walls or ceiling. On the other hand, few butterflies landed on guests.

The Desert Botanical Garden's Butterfly Pavilion and our Tropical Butterfly House are both licensed under permits from the United States Department of Agriculture. All guests at both facilities are carefully inspected before they leave the gardens to prevent errant escapes. The DBG interpreters were armed with sheared feather dusters to brush away any “hitch-hikers”.


On the day I visited, there was an extraordinary number of Zebra Longwings (Heliconius charitonius). Other prominent species were the Julia Longwing (Dryas iulia), Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui). The most sought after butterfly in the exhibit was the Buckeye (Junonia coenia). Wouldn't you know, a Buckeye landed on my cap. I had to stand patiently as one guest after another came up and photographed the beauty on my head!


One thing both our Tropical Butterfly House and the Desert Botanical Garden’s Butterfly Pavilion have in common is an abundance of enthusiastic visitors of all ages. Everyone, young and old, marvels at the beauty and fragility of these flying insects. I encourage everyone who has the opportunity to visit and support butterfly exhibits. There is so much to learn from these little wonders.

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Fresh Sheet – March 17, 2012

Can’t wait for spring? It’s always warm and colorful inside our Tropical Butterfly House. Visit us soon!


El Salvador

25 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
25 - Catonephele numilia (Numilia)
25 - Consul fabius (Tiger Leafwing)
14 - Dryadula phaetusa (Banded Orange Heliconian)
10 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
20 - Heliconius hortense (Mountain Longwing)
10 - Heliconius ismenius (Ismenius Longwing)
20 - Lycorea cleobaea (Large Tiger)
80 - Morpho peleides (Blue Morpho)
20 - Morpho polyphemus (White Morpho)
15 - Myselia cyaniris (Blue Wave Butterfly)
20 - Myscelia ethusa (Royal Blue Butterfly)
08 - Papilio erostratus (Dusky Swallowtail)
10 - Parides montezuma (Montezuma Cattleheart)
15 - Archeoprepona demophon (One-spotted Prepona)
15 - Prepona omphale (Blue Belly-Button)
20 - Tithorea harmonia (Harmonia Tigerwing)

Total = 352


Suriname

10 - Battus polydamas (Polydamus Swallowtail)
40 - Heraclides thoas (Giant Swallowtail)
40 - Heraclides anchisiades (Ruby-spotted Swallowtail)
10 - Heliconius erato (Small Postman)
05 - Heliconius melpomene (Postman)
05 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
10 - Dryas iulia (Julia Longwing)
15 - Catonephele orites (Orange-banded shoemaker)
50 - Anartia amathea (Scarlet Peacock)
10 - Archeoprepona demophoon (Hubner’s Prepona)
10 - Biblis hyperia (Red Rim)
50 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
05 - Mechanitis polymnia (Polymnia Tigerwing)
10 - Tithorea harmonia (Harmonia Tigerwing)

Total = 270

Grand total = 622

“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!

Fresh Sheet – March 10, 2012

Six hundred fourteen pupae from the Philippines are now emerging in our Tropical Butterfly House window.


Philippines

50 - Papilio rumanzovia (Crimson Swallowtail)
50 - Papilio palinurus (Banded Peacock)
140 - Papilio lowii (Sunset Swallowtail)
150 - Idea leuconoe (Paper Kite)
20 - Pachliopta kotzeboea (Pink Rose)
03 - Graphium agamemnon (Tailed Jay)
30 - Doleschalia bisaltide (Autumn Leaf)
94 - Parthenos sylvia philippensis (The Clipper)
20 - Papilio polytes (Polite Swallowtail)
20 - Cethosia biblis (Red Lacewing)
05 - Ideopsis juventa (Wood Nymph)
32 - Hypolimnas bolina (Blue moon)

Total = 614

“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!

Happy 75th Anniversary SPAM®!

We recently learned that this year marks the 75th anniversary of SPAM®. Most of us in Life Sciences have a sentimental fondness for SPAM®. Adrian loves to dig into some SPAM® fried rice now and then. And this classic Monty Python bit, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE, amuses Terry on many levels. But the biggest SPAM® fans of all reside in our Insect Village. Twice a week, we offer our Hide beetles a fresh slice of this lovable lunchmeat.



Hide beetles, Dermestis maculatus, are scavengers. In the wild, both adults and larvae eat dead animal tissue, cleaning it right down to the bone. They can infest rawhide and leather products, but they can also be quite helpful to scientists. For instance, many natural history museums keep populations of Hide beetles in house, and use them to clean animal skeletons for display. And in the field of forensic science, they can be helpful in police investigations. The life stage of the Hide beetle larvae found in a corpse can help scientists pinpoint the time of death.

An obvious question poses itself: If these bugs feed off of decomposing, rotting animal tissue, then why do we feed them something as tasty as SPAM®? We choose it for many of the same reasons people eat SPAM® in their everyday lives. It’s easy, it has a long shelf-life, it’s affordable, and the animals like it. Best of all, it’s not offensive. If we were to put actual decomposing animal tissue, such as a dead mouse, in the Hide beetle enclosure, nobody with a nose would want to go near that cage! So, SPAM® it is.

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Fresh Sheet – March 3, 2012

This week we have moths and butterflies from all over the world – including a few surprises. Check them out!


El Salvador

25 - Battus belus (Belus Swallowtail)
25 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
20 - Catonephele numilia (Numilia)
25 - Consul fabius (Tiger Leafwing)
12 - Heliconius erato (Small Postman)
25 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
25 - Heliconius hortense (Mountain Longwing)
10 - Heliconius ismenius (Ismenius Longwing)
25 - Lycorea cleobaea (Large Tiger)
70 - Morpho peleides (Blue Morpho)
20 - Myselia cyaniris (Blue Wave Butterfly)
20 - Myscelia ethusa (Royal Blue Butterfly)
20 - Papilio torquatus (Band-gapped Swallowtail)
25 - Archeoprepona demophon (One-spotted Prepona)

Total = 347


LPS LLC

20 - Argema mimosa (African Moon Moth) USA
07 - Athyma perius (Common Sergeant) THAILAND
10 - Catopsilia scylla (Orange Emigrant) MALAYSIA
10 - Cethosia cyane (Leopard Lacewing) THAILAND
10 - Charaxes brutus (White-barred Charaxes) USA
10 - Charaxes candiope (Green-veined Charaxes) KENYA
10 - Charaxes castor (Giant Charaxes) KENYA
10 - Charaxes cithaeron (Blue-spotted Charaxes) USA
10 - Charaxes violetta (Violet-spotted Emperor) KENYA
08 - Chilasa clytia (Common Mime) THAILAND
10 - Doleschalia bisaltide (Autumn Leaf) THAILAND
10 - Euphaedra neophron (Gold-banded Forester) KENYA
10 - Graphium agamemnon (Tailed Jay) PHILIPPINES
10 - Hypolimnas bolina (Blue moon) PHILIPPINES
08 - Idea leuconoe (Paper Kite) PHILIPPINES
10 - Ideopsis vulgaris (Blue Glassy Tiger) USA
09 - Pachliopta kotzebuea (Pink Rose) PHILIPPINES
10 - Papilio constantinus (Constantines's Swallowtail) USA
10 - Papilio lowii (Sunset Swallowtail) PHILIPPINES
10 - Papilio memnon (Great Memnon) THAILAND
10 - Papilio nephelus (Yellow Helen) USA
10 - Papilio palinurus (Banded Peacock) PHILIPPINES
10 - Papilio polytes (Polite Swallowtail) PHILIPPINES
10 - Papilio rumanzovia (Crimson Swallowtail) PHILIPPINES
05 - Troides rhadamantus plateni (Platen’s Birdwing) PHILIPPINES
09 - Vindula dejone (The Cruiser) MALAYSIA

Total = 250

GRAND TOTAL = 597

“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!