A few weeks ago, Corrie Moreau, the Assistant Curator of Zoology, gave us a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum's insect collection!
When we came in, there were display cases of some really fascinating insects. We saw butterflies that had evolved to resemble leaves when they closed their wings and beetles that resembled dead, shriveled leaves (so as to appear "undesirable" to hungry herbivores...no one wants to eat dead leaves). There was even an entire display case devoted to insect jewelry! Corrie showed us a tenebrionid that people bedazzle and wear on a leash pinned to clothing... while alive! Their wings are fused together so they can't fly, and people can keep them in a little jar for years... I want one!
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| No, these aren't leaves. |
Then for the most amazing part, Corrie brought out containers of living insects! There were two scorpions (fun fact: they glow under UV light), a big and hairy tarantula, and lots of hissing cockroaches. And we got to hold the cockroaches and tarantula!!!
Champ and Evan bonding!
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| Prahi loves his hissing cockroach! |
Unleashing the tarantula!
It was surprisingly light!
Teamwork!
Good results with intern Will Montag??
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