Fresh Sheet – July 31, 2010

A new species (for us) this week from the Philippines, Papilio hipponus and 60 Paper Kite pupae! Such great Ideas! Come see them emerge!

Philippines

30 - Cethosia biblis (Red Lacewing)
48 - Chilasa clytia (Common Mime)
22 - Danaus chrysippus (Plain Tiger)
10 - Doleschalia bisaltide (Autumn Leaf)
10 - Graphium agamemnon (Tailed Jay)
50 - Hypolimnas bolina (Great Eggfly)
60 - Idea leuconoe (Paper Kite)
30 - Papilio hipponus (Hipponus Swallowtail)
50 - Papilio palinurus (Banded Peacock)
80 - Papilio polytes (Polite Swallowtail)
19 - Papilio rumanzovia (Crimson Swallowtail)
80 - Parthenos sylvia philippensis (The Clipper)


Total = 489

“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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Did that butterfly follow me home?

Each year, as the warm weather finally reaches our part of the world, Pacific Science Center’s life sciences department receives a few frantic phone calls from recent guests, sounding something like this:

“Hi. I visited your wonderful butterfly house two days ago. I must have had a butterfly sneak home on me, because this morning I saw it flying around my yard. I know you follow strict containment laws, and I want to get it back, but I couldn’t catch it. What should I do?”

Recently, as the public becomes more aware of the threats posed by invasive species, these calls have become more common. Many callers have not visited us recently, but simply have concerns about unfamiliar insects found in their areas. We always welcome these calls, and encourage our readers to be watchful for new and unusual looking insects. Often an informed public is the first line of defense against invasive insects.

But to those diligent and caring souls who have concerns about butterflies in their yard, you may find this reassuring. If your butterfly looks like this,
you need not fear. The Western Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio rutulus is native to Washington State. Its caterpillars feed on many native trees. The adult butterfly is active from late spring through the beginning of cold weather in the fall, and is often spotted nectaring in gardens.


The Polyphemus moth, Antheraea polyphemus, another native species, is mostly nocturnal. Although not rare, the Polyphemus moth is surprisingly good at hiding during the day. Callers who spot these large, handsome moths often report that they have lived in the region for many years and never seen one before. Many assume that nothing so striking could possibly be native to our region, which is not known for spectacular bugs.


In addition to these two Lepidoptera, our area is home to the large and magnificent ten-lined June beetle, Polyphylla decemlineata. Despite their name, these colorfully marked beetles usually arrive in July or even August in our area. They are known for flying to porch lights at night, and for hissing when startled – often frightening their captor.

We hope that a visit to the Tropical Butterfly House and Insect Village will only enhance your appreciation for our native species, large and small. And while we always welcome calls about butterflies and other insects, we hope that when you see these species, you will enjoy them without guilt, knowing that they are where they belong.


Photographs of the Western Tiger Swallowtail and the Polyphemus moth are in the public domain. The ten-lined June beetle was on Brianna’s porch.

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Fresh Sheet – July 24, 2010

This week we have 588 butterflies from all over the world including four species we've never received before! Come see them!


El Salvador

20 - Catonephele numilia (Numilia)
30 - Colobura dirce (Mosaic butterfly)
20 - Consul fabius (Tiger Leafwing)
15 - Dryadula phaetusa (Banded Orange Heliconian)
10 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
25 - Heliconius ismenius (Ismenius Longwing)
40 - Morpho peleides (Blue Morpho)
40 - Morpho polyphemus (White Morpho)
30 - Myscelia ethusa (Royal Blue Butterfly)
10 - Papilio cresphontes (Giant Swallowtail)
30 - Papilio erostratus (Dusky Swallowtail)
08 - Papilio torquatus (Band-gapped Swallowtail)
10 - Parides photinus (Queen of Hearts)
10 - Prepona omphale=archeoprepona omphale (Blue Belly-Button)
25 - Smyrna blomfildia (Blomfeld's beauty)


Total = 323

LPS – LA

10 - Catopsilia pyranthe (Mottled Emigrant) THAILAND
10 - Catopsilia scylla (Orange Emigrant) THAILAND*
10 - Cethosia biblis (Red Lacewing) MALAYSIA
07 - Charaxes brutus (White-barred Charaxes) KENYA
10 - Charaxes cithaeron (Blue-spotted Charexes) KENYA
10 - Charaxes saturnus KENYA*
10 - Chilasa clytia (Common Mime) THAILAND
10 - Euphaedra neophron (Gold-banded Forester) KENYA
10 - Euploea core (Common Crow) THAILAND
10 - Hypolimnas bolina (Great Eggfly) MALYASIA
08 - Idea leuconoe (Paper Kite) PHILIPPINES
07 - Ideopsis vulgaris (Blue Glassy Tiger)*
07 - Junonia almanac (Peacock Pansy) THAILAND
10 - Junonia atlites (Gray Pansy) MALYASIA*
06 - Lexias dirtea (Archduke) MALYASIA
10 - Papilio constantinus (Constantines's Swallowtail) KENYA
30 - Papilio dardanus (Mocker Swallowtail) KENYA
10 - Papilio lowii (Sunset Swallowtail) PHILIPPINES
10 - Papilio nireus (Blue-banded Swallowtail) KENYA
10 - Papilio palinurus (Banded Peacock) PHILIPPINES
10 - Papilio polytes (Polite Swallowtail) THAILAND
10 - Parthenos sylvia lilacinus (Blue Clipper) THAILAND
10 - Parthenos sylvia philppensis (The Clipper) PHILIPPINES
10 - Parthenos sylvia violaceae (Violet Clipper) MALAYSIA
10 - Tirumala limniace (Blue Tiger) THAILAND

TOTAL = 265

*New species to us

“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!

No - Thank YOU!

Pacific Science Center’s “Camps for Curious Minds” are in full swing at this summer and Life Sciences staff never passes up an opportunity to get involved. Whether interpreting the naked mole-rats and snakes for “Get Set to Be a Vet,” tide pool feeding for “Wild Ocean Adventures,” or giving a hands-on tour our Tropical Butterfly House, our staff really enjoys the young scientists-in-training.

The campers must enjoy the experience as well because we get letters – lots of them!


Below are a few examples:

Dear Brianna, Thank you for showing and teaching us about naked mole rats. I really enjoyed watching them crawl through the tunnels. I love it so much I drew you a picture of one crawling though a tunnel. From, Zoe L.

Dear Sarah
I really liked the naked mole rats but I especially liked the smell of the toilet chamber that was the best.
From
Griffin

Dear Sarah I realy liked the naked mole rats they war very very fast. Were in Africa did you get them. I guess it must rake lost of practice to go backwords. How come the naked mole rats go over each other. When the naked mole rats pile up on each ther its kind of silly. Where did you get the tudes.

Dear Snake handlers, The snake is my 3rd favorite animal! I think you knocked it up to 2nd! Thanks tons for the new memorie! Love, Lauren

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