Seattle Bug Safari

Seattle Bug Safari, the wonderful arthropod museum located in Pike Place Market, recently closed their doors. Because of the closure, their fantastic variety of exhibit animals needed to find new homes.

Many of the species exhibited are animals regulated and could only go to permitted owners. Fortunately, Pacific Science Center holds those permits. So last month, Animal Caretakers Sarah, Chris, and Lauren went on an adventure to pick up some new arthropods for Animal Care.

We loaded up on boxes and containers to hold our new friends, hopped on the monorail, and headed down to Pike Place. When we got there, owner Brian Rolf brought us in to look over the selection. We knew we had to fight the “kid in a candy store” syndrome; mainly take creatures that we already exhibit and/or have the space and resources for. With that in mind, we packed up the following:

1 Chilean Rose Tarantula
9 Blue Death-feigning Beetles
4 Diving Beetles
4 Cactus Longhorn Beetles
6 Giant Brazilian Cockroaches
57 Australian Prickly Sticks

Most of the animals joined others of their species on exhibit. Australian Prickly Sticks, a species we have had in the past, are now on display. In addition to the Prickly Stick adults and juveniles on exhibit, we have numerous containers of their eggs hatching in an off-exhibit nursery. The young Prickly Sticks can grow up in the quiet of the back room with lots of blackberry leaves to enjoy. After a few molts, they will be placed on display.

Thanks to Brian and Seattle Bug Safari for some amazing new animals! Watch Brian showing his knowledge and insect handling skills here: http://www.king5.com/new-day-northwest/Seattle-Bug-Safari-Invades-the-New-Day-Northwest-Studio-89542582.html. Do you recognize some of the arthropods we also have at Pacific Science Center? Come by and visit them!

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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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