Fresh Sheet – December 31, 2011

The last pupae shipment of the year has arrived from Costa Rica with 562 specimens including some of the largest and some of the smallest butterflies we ever get.

Costa Rica

08 - Biblis hyperia (Red Rim)
20 - Caligo atreus (Yellow-Edged Giant-Owl)
06 - Caligo eurilochus (Forest Giant Owl)
05 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
30 - Catonephele numilia (Numilia)
40 - Danaus plexippus (The Monarch)
23 - Dryas iulia (Julia Longwing)
04 - Eryphanis polyxena (Purple Mort Bleu Owl)
10 - Eueudes isabella (Isabella’s Longwing)
14 - Greta oto (Glasswing)
11 - Hamadryas amphinome (Red Calico)
22 - Heliconius charitonius (Zebra Longwing)
18 - Heliconius cydno (Cydno Longwing)
30 - Heliconius doris (Doris Longwing)
11 - Heliconius erato (Small Postman)
33 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
31 - Heliconius ismenius (Ismenius Longwing)
13 - Heliconius melpomene (Postman)
19 - Heraclides anchisiades (Ruby-spotted Swallowtail)
22 - Hypna clytemnestra (Silver-studded Leafwing)
04 - Morpho amathonte (Amathonte's Morpho,)
38 - Morpho peleides (Blue Morpho)
14 - Myselia cyaniris (Blue Wave Butterfly)
08 - Opsiphanes quiteria (Scalloped Owl)
13 - Papilio polyxenes (Black Swallowtail)
20 - Parides iphidamas (Transandean Cattleheart)
19 - Philaethria dido (Scarce Bamboo Page)
31 - Phoebis philea (Orange Barred Sulfur)
04 - Prepona omphale (Blue Belly-Button)
16 - Siproeta epaphus (Rusty-tipped Page)
25 - Siproeta stelenes (Malachite)

Total = 562


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Happy Thirteenth Birthday!!

Today the Tropical Butterfly House celebrates its thirteenth year. As in the past, Animal Care staff has created a special fruitcake for the butterflies. Maida and Discovery Corp Intern, Natrice concocted the cool "cake" pictured above.


This year in an attempt to make the Butterfly House birthday a green event, we appealed to PSC staff for their "unwanted fruits - things that are no longer ideal for human consumption" but still edible to butterflies. The response was very successful.

So take a break from shopping today and visit the Tropical Butterfly House. You just might find a special guest!

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Fresh Sheet – December 24, 2011

This week’s shipments of pupae contain three species that send Animal Care staff to their taxonomy books: Archaeoprepona demophon, Archaeoprepona demophoon, and Prepona omphale . Come visit us and see if you can spot the differences!

And don’t forget to wish the Tropical Butterfly House “Happy Birthday” on December 26th. We’ll be open all day.



El Salvador

10 - Archaeoprepona demophoon (Hübner’s Prepona)
25 - Battus belus (Belus Swallowtail)
12 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
25 - Catonephele numilia (Numilia)
20 - Consul fabius (Tiger Leafwing)
12 - Heliconius charitonius (Zebra Longwing)
20 - Heliconius erato (Small Postman)
20 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
10 - Heliconius hortense (Mountain Longwing)
25 - Heliconius ismenius (Ismenius Longwing)
20 - Lycorea cleobaea (Large Tiger)
25 - Morpho peleides (Blue Morpho)
40 - Morpho polyphemus (White Morpho)
15 - Myselia cyaniris (Blue Wave Butterfly)
25 - Myscelia ethusa (Royal Blue Butterfly)
15 - Papilio torquatus (Band-gapped Swallowtail)
25 - Prepona omphale (Blue Belly-Button)
25 - Tithorea harmonia (Harmonia Tigerwing)

Total = 369

Suriname

20 - Anartia amathea (Scarlet Peacock)
10 - Archaeoprepona demophon (One-spotted Prepona)
05 - Battus polydamas (Polydamus Swallowtail)
40 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
40 - Catonephele orites (Orange-banded shoemaker)
24 - Dryas iulia (Julia Longwing)
06 - Hamadryas feronia (Variable Calico)
15 - Heliconius erato (Small Postman)
05 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
15 - Heliconius melpomene (Postman)
40 - Heraclides anchisiades (Ruby-spotted Swallowtail)
40 - Heraclides thoas (Thoas Swallowtail)
05 - Mechanitis polymnia (Polymnia Tigerwing)
05 - Parides sesostris (Emerald-patched Cattleheart)

Total = 270

Grand Total = 639

“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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A Festivus Miracle!

It’s December 19th, and a favorite holiday among naked mole-rats is quickly approaching. That’s right, it’s almost Festivus!


As we shared in this blog story last year, the naked mole-rats presumably celebrate Festivus on the 23rd of December.

They observe the holiday with Feats of Strength,


Airing of Grievances,


and even a naked mole-rat-sized Festivus Pole.


This year, there is even a Festivus miracle! One of our two queens, Galinda, gave birth to a new litter of pups on Sunday night. As with other Festivus miracles, this is something that is easily explainable. Galinda has about five litters a year! This is pretty normal for her! Yet it is also something we anticipate with excitement and a little concern. The health of our queen is key to maintaining a healthy colony, and delivering pups is one of the most risky times for a mole-rat. Each successfully delivered litter truly is a moment to appreciate


With all naked mole-rat litters, there is a very high rate of mortality among the pups. The first few weeks of life for a baby naked mole-rat are extremely difficult. However, we are excited to see babies this time of year and hope for the best. We know from experience and communication with other facilities that there is no added care we can do to help the babies along. By keeping the colony and its queen healthy, we have done our part in the process and must give the colony a few quiet days to establish a bond with the pups. It is up to them now.

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