Fresh Sheet - March 19, 2016

We have an especially exciting shipment from Costa Rica this week, as part of our Life Sciences Team visiting Costa Rica may have actually met these butterflies as caterpillars before they made their way up to Seattle!


Suministros Entimológicos Costarricenses, SA
Costa Rica Entomological Supply

18 - Archeoprepona demophon (One-spotted Prepona)
10 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
9 - Catonephele numilia (Numilia)
33 - Danaus plexippus (The Monarch)
18 - Dryadula phaetusa (Banded Orange Heliconian)
6 - Eryphanis polyxena (Purple Mort Bleu Owl)
15 - Eueiudes isabella (Isabella’s Longwing)
12 - Greta oto (Glasswing)
11 - Hamadryas amphinome (Red Calico)
26 - Heliconius cydno (Cydno Longwing)
25 - Heliconius doris (Doris Longwing)
7 - Heliconius erato (Small Postman)
15 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
4 - Heliconius ismenius (Ismenius Longwing)
32 - Heliconius melpomene (Postman)
10 - Heliconius sapho (Sapho Longwing)
10 - Heraclides anchisiades (Ruby-spotted Swallowtail)
32 - Morpho peleides (Blue Morpho)
12 - Myscelia cyaniris (Blue Wave Butterfly)
10 - Nessaea aglaura (Aglaura Olivewing)
8 - Opsiphanes tamarindi (Tamarind Owl)
28 - Papilio thoas (Thoas Swallowtail)
10 - Parides arcas (Arcas Cattleheart)
9 - Parides iphidamas (Transandean Cattleheart)
10 - Siproeta epaphus (Rusty-tipped Page)
23 - Siproeta stelenes (Malachite)

Total = 403

“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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Why is That Cage So Dirty??

If you look at some of the arthropod cages in the Insect Village, you might think that Animal Care is not very good at keeping the enclosures clean. Actually something else is going on that’s necessary in taking care of our animals.

Some of the terrariums, especially the ones that contain a whole colony of cockroaches, have a stripe of a grimy looking white film on them. That is a substance called Fluon®, a synthetic fluoropolymer that is used for a variety of applications. So why do we paint it on our cages? Because some insects have very sticky feet!

Fluon® acts as a slippery lubricant barrier between the insect habitat at the bottom of the cage and the lid at the top. Animals like our Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches can actually climb the smooth plexiglass walls of our cages and are only foiled by that slippery band of Fluon® that surrounds the cage.

When taking care of a colony of insects, containment is always a main concern. We want to know where our animals are at all times. And thanks to Fluon®, we can reliably know that these insects are staying at home.


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Fresh Sheet - March 12, 2016

Our latest shipment of butterflies from Suriname includes 3 different "tiger" butterflies: orange, black and yellow butterflies. Can you identify the one pictured above?

Neotropical Insects NV
Suriname

10 - Heraclides thoas (Thoas Swallowtail)
28 - Heliconius melpomene (Postman)
20 - Heliconius hecale (Tiger Longwing)
40 - Dryas iulia (Julia Longwing)
25 - Anartia amathea (Scarlet Peacock)
7 - Hamadryas amphinome (Red Calico)
20 - Archeoprepona demophoon (Hubner’s Prepona)
5 - Biblis hyperia (Red Rim)
40 - Caligo memnon (Owl Butterfly)
40 - Eryphanis polyxena (Purple Mort Bleu Owl)
15 - Mechanitis polymnia (Polymnia Tigerwing)
20 - Tithorea harmonia (Harmonia Tigerwing)

Total = 270

“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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Aussie Stick Hatchlings

Lots of critters are hatching around Pacific Science Center including eggs from the Australian stick (Extatosoma tiaratum) insect colony. This week, Animal Care Intern Davis presents another educational video on the behind-the-scenes rearing of these Phasmatodae.


Watch this: https://youtu.be/_D6RZapG_xA

We check the stick insects every day to see if any nymphs have emerged from their eggs. Every three or four days we mist the eggs with water to keep the humidity high enough for the stick insects to emerge. If we find a baby stick insect, we make a notation on the board, transfer it into a little container, and then transport it to the exhibit to be with the rest of its family!

For more information about parthenogenesis and the life cycle of these fascinating insects, read our recent article: Captain Phasmatodea and the Attack of the (Not Really) Clones.

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