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.

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Tricks & Treats

Join the party animals at Pacific Science Center this weekend and watch our naked mole rats celebrate Halloween! Costumes are encouraged but not required.

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Having a Ball!

It’s easy for us humans to get swept up in football season every fall, but have our naked mole-rats also caught the same football fever? After feeding our colony recently, one mole-rat was observed scurrying around from chamber-to-chamber-to-chamber with a little green ball in its mouth. While we watched we couldn’t help but be reminded of a NFL receiver running for a first down. Are we really witnessing naked mole-rat football?



First, we noticed one mole-rat with the green ball held firmly in his mouth as he scampered non-stop through the tubes and chambers, heedless of the other mole-rats.

When the ball carrier finally stopped to eat some food, another mole-rat took over. This ball-carrying mole-rat repeated the same peripatetic activity to the delight of our guests.


At one point, the ball was in a scrum between several other naked mole-rats. Eventually, “Hairless Houdini” emerged with the ball in his mouth. While the others were distracted with food and basic mole-rat sniffing behavior, Houdini took the ball, buried it in the potty chamber then nonchalantly returned to his chums. Game over!


As you may have guessed, the “little green ball” is actually a solitary grape that Animal Caretakers include in the food assortment that we give the colony. We’ve never seen them eat the grape, but they sure have fun playing with it.

As much fun as it is to witness this adorable game, we can’t help but wonder what’s going on in the mole-rats’ activity. Are they showing competitive behavior, performing a social function or merely having fun? What do you think?

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Fresh Sheet – October 22, 2010

This week’s shipment is a confirmation that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) reads our paperwork. The USDA detected a species that is not on our permit. They could have destroyed or turned back the entire shipment. Instead, they identified and remove the illegal species and sent the remaining pupae on to us.

Philippines

55 - Papilio palinurus (Banded Peacock)
98 - Papilio rumanzovia (Crimson Swallowtail)
09- Papilio lowii (Sunset Swallowtail)
98- Idea leuconoe (Paper Kite)
40 - Pachliopta kotzeboea (Pink Rose)
29 - Graphium agamemnon (Tailed Jay)
17 - Doleschalia bisaltide (Autumn Leaf)
20 - Parthenos sylvia philippensis (The Clipper)
19 - Cethosia biblis (Red Lacewing)
25 - Hypolimnas bolina (Great Eggfly)

Total = 410

“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!