Fresh Sheet – March 15

If you love White Morphos, you’ll find them at our Tropical Butterfly House. Plus two shipments of neotropical pupae arrived this week from Suriname and El Salvador, totaling 572 butterflies-to-be. Visit us soon!


Suriname

15 - Battus polydamas (Polydamus Swallowtail)
15 - Heraclides thoa (Thoas Swallowtail)
30 - Heraclides anchisiades (Ruby-spotted Swallowtail)
35 - Heliconius melpomene (Postman)
35 - Dryas iulia (Julia Longwing)
30 - Anartia amathea (Scarlet Peacock)
10 - Biblis hyperia (Red Rim)
40 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
25 - Mechanitis polymnia (Polymnia Tigerwing)
35 - Tithorea harmonia (Harmonia Tigerwing)

Total = 270

El Salvador

25 - Archeoprepona demophoon (Hubner’s Prepona)
25 - Battus belus (Belus Swallowtail)
25 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
25 - Catonephele numilia (Numilia)
25 - Consul fabius (Tiger Leafwing)
15 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
10 - Heliconius hortense (Mountain Longwing)
10 - Lycorea cleobaea (Large Tiger)
48 - Morpho peleides (Blue Morpho)
25 - Morpho polyphemus (White Morpho)
09 - Myscelia cyaniris (Blue Wave Butterfly)
25 - Myscelia ethusa (Royal Blue Butterfly)
10 - Parides arcas (Arcas Cattleheart)
15 - Archeoprepona demophon (One-spotted Prepona)
10 - Prepona omphale (Blue Belly-Button)

Total = 302

Grand Total = 572

“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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How Are Our Sea Stars Doing?

Many visitors to Pacific Science Center have been asking about a current ecological phenomenon known as Sea Star Wasting Syndrome. Have our Puget Sound Salt Water Tide Pool sea stars been affected?

The short answer is “No” and we are monitoring the situation closely. Pacific Science Center addresses the disease here including links to current research. Be assured that Animal Caretakers are recording any unusual appearances and movements of our sea stars in the hopes of having early detection if the disorder does appear. We are also taking photographs regularly and logging instances when staff report concerns about possible skin integrity.

The normal, relaxed posture of a sea star is open, like a star – with all limbs pointing straight out. The arms of sea stars contain sensory organs as well as the tube feet they use for movement. By spreading out their arms, they have access to the most sense data. But once in a while, the stars will take other postures.

Because crossed and twisted arms are an early indicator of the wasting disease, we are recording every time a star is noted in one of these positions. This will give us a good baseline for how often a healthy star is in one of these positions.

Sea star wasting syndrome is characterized by lesions of the skin – discolored, broken, or whitish areas where the epidermis has begun to break down. The white, calcium rich plates and spines of its skeleton become more obvious through its skin. But a sea star looks very different when it sits at or above the water’s surface than it does below. So far all our calls have been for stars that have parts of their body above the water level, and look funny but are actually fine.

We’ve also received few calls about the madreporite of our sea stars. This hard calcium ‘button’ on the top of every sea star is used to control the water pressure in and outside of the animal. Many people have never noticed the madreporite before, and wondered if it might be a sign of problems. We are fortunate to have many new eyes help us monitor our animals.

As more information is learned about this phenomenon, we will be reporting our findings. Until more is known, we will not be introducing any new sea stars or their relatives into the tide pool.


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Fresh Sheet – March 8, 2014

This is Polar Science Weekend at Pacific Science Center where guests can investigate life at the extreme ends of the earth. Meanwhile, it’s always warm and cozy in our Tropical Butterfly House. Take a break and visit our newest arrivals!


Malaysia

05 - Appias lyncida (Chocolate Albatros)
50 - Athyma perius (Common Sergeant)
40 - Catopsilia scylla (Orange Emigrant)
60 - Cethosia cyane (Leopard Lacewing)
10 - Cethosia hypsea (Malay Lacewing)
40 - Doleschalia bisaltide (Autumn Leaf)
60 - Idea leuconoe (Paper Kite)
05 - Papilio memnon (Great Memnon)
50 - Papilio polytes (Polite Swallowtail)
50 - Parthenos sylvia (The Clipper)
50 - Precis almana (Peacock Pansy)
30 - Vindula dejone (The Cruiser)

Total = 450

“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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Fresh Sheet – March 1, 2014

This week we have 515 more tropical pupae arriving and getting ready to emerge into beautiful butterflies. Come hang out with them soon!


El Salvador

18 - Archeoprepona demophoon (Hubner’s Prepona)
25 - Battus belus (Belus Swallowtail)
25 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
25 - Catonephele numilia (Numilia)
20 - Consul fabius (Tiger Leafwing)
10 - Heliconius erato (Small Postman)
12 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
15 - Heliconius hortense (Mountain Longwing)
10 - Heliconius ismenius (Ismenius Longwing)
10 - Lycorea cleobaea (Large Tiger)
40 - Morpho peleides (Blue Morpho)
20 - Morpho polyphemus (White Morpho)
10 - Myscelia ethusa (Royal Blue Butterfly)
10 - Papilio androgeus (Queen Page)
20 - Papilio torquatus (Band-gapped Swallowtail)
10 - Parides arcas (Arcas Cattleheart)
10 - Prepona omphale (Blue Belly-Button)
10 - Siderone nemesis (Red-striped Leafwing)
15 - Tithorea harmonia (Harmonia Tigerwing)

Total = 315

LPS-LLC

10 - Athyma perius (Common Sergeant)
10 - Cethosia biblis (Red Lacewing)
20 - Cethosia cyane (Leopard Lacewing)
07 - Charaxes lasti (Silver Striped Charaxes)
10 - Charaxes protoclea (Flame-bordered Charexes)
10 - Charaxes varanes (Pearl Charexes)
10 - Doleschalia bisaltide (Autumn Leaf)
10 - Graphium agamemnon (Tailed Jay)
10 - Hypolimnas bolina (Blue moon)
14 - Idea leuconoe (Paper Kite)
15 - Papilio demodocus (Orchard Swallowtail)
30 - Papilio lowii (Sunset Swallowtail)
10 - Papilio nireus (Blue-banded Swallowtail)
06 - Papilio ophidicephalus (Emperor Swallowtail)
05 - Papilio rumanzovia (Crimson Swallowtail)
07 - Parthenos sylvia lilacinus (Blue Clipper)
11 - Parthenos sylvia philippensis (The Clipper)
05 - Troides rhadamantus plateni (Platen’s Birdwing)

Total = 200

Grand Total = 515

“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!