Fresh Sheet – October 29, 2010

This week we released five African Moon Moths (Argema mimosae) into the Tropical Butterfly House. More cocoons are in the Emerging Window and so more moths should soon appear. Come visit us!


El Salvador

10 - Battus belus (Belus Swallowtail)
25 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
25 - Doxocopa laure (Silver Emperor)
10 - Heliconius erato (Small Postman)
10 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
20 - Heliconius hortense (Mountain Longwing)
60 - Morpho peleides (Blue Morpho)
05 - Papilio androgeus (Androgeus Swallowtail)
22 - Papilio erostratus (Dusky Swallowtail)
20 - Papilio torquatus (Band-gapped Swallowtail)
08 - Phoebis philea (Orange Barred Sulfur)
20 - Siderone nemesis (Red-striped Leafwing)
16 - Tithorea harmonia (Harmonia Tigerwing)

Total = 251

Suriname

06 - Battus polydamas (Polydamus Swallowtail)
08 - Heraclides anchisiades (Ruby-spotted Swallowtail)
12 - Heliconius erato (Small Postman)
07 - Heliconius melpomene (Postman)
40 - Dryas iulia (Julia Longwing)
50 - Catonephele orites (Orange-banded shoemaker)
42 - Anartia amathea (Scarlet Peacock)
05 - Nessaea aglaura (Aglaura Olivewing)
06 - Hamadryas feronia (Variable Calico)
40 - Biblis hyperia (Red Rim)
50 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
04 - Phoebis sennae (Cloudless Sulphur)

Total = 270

Grand total = Over 520

“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!

New Moth in Town

If you like pretty, you will love Argema mimosae, the African Luna, or Moon Moth.

Pacific Science Center’s Tropical Butterfly House recently received a shipment of them and the first have started emerging. Yellow/green in color, with spectacular long tails and eyespots, these nocturnal moths often rest with their wings open and tails crossed.



Members of the Saturniidae family, Argema mimosae are also known as the giant silk moths. True to their name, silkmoths spin firm, dense silken cocoons. They are not the same as the cultivated silk moth. The largest Lepidoptera belong to this family, which includes the Lunas, Atlas moths, Royal moths and Washington State’s own Polyphemus moth.

Argema mimosae is native to South-Central Africa and eats the foliage of Sclerocarya caffra, an edible fruit related to mangos. They have been successfully reared in captivity on several plants from the same family (Anacardiaceae), including poison ivy! So while pretty, they are pretty tough, too.




Adult Saturniid moths have reduced or no mouthparts and live very short lives. This means that you should come see them these beautiful moths soon!
Read more!