Monarch Butterflies
Nov/28/2009 Filed in: insect facts
Monarch butterflies are probably the best-known species of butterfly in North America. They are famous for their long migrations south before the northern winter frosts kill their eggs and adults. These migrations are one of the most amazing in nature and individuals can travel up to 2,000 miles from home. In North America, the migration patterns differ depending on where the butterfly lives. Monarchs living in the western part of the US migrate to a small number of sites scattered along the coast of California. One of these sites is close to where I live in San Francisco, called Pacific Grove. The most famous travelers come from the eastern US where an estimated 100 million butterflies head south to Michoacan in central Mexico.
These journeys are very tough on the Monarch and most of them do not make it the whole way. However, many stop to breed along the way and the butterflies that make the reverse migration in spring are often five generations removed from those that originally migrated in autumn. Along these migrations, Monarchs lay eggs on milkweed, which is the only plant their caterpillars will eat. It is from this milkweed diet that the butterfly gets its toxic defense. Milkweed contains poisonous cardiac glycosides that the Monarch sequesters when the caterpillar eats the plant. These glycosides cause severe vomiting in most animals that eats either a monarch caterpillar or the adult butterfly.
It is fun to learn about nature and Bug Under Glass creates a museum quality Monarch Butterfly display from farm-raised butterflies. Art that has a story is much more fun!
These journeys are very tough on the Monarch and most of them do not make it the whole way. However, many stop to breed along the way and the butterflies that make the reverse migration in spring are often five generations removed from those that originally migrated in autumn. Along these migrations, Monarchs lay eggs on milkweed, which is the only plant their caterpillars will eat. It is from this milkweed diet that the butterfly gets its toxic defense. Milkweed contains poisonous cardiac glycosides that the Monarch sequesters when the caterpillar eats the plant. These glycosides cause severe vomiting in most animals that eats either a monarch caterpillar or the adult butterfly.
It is fun to learn about nature and Bug Under Glass creates a museum quality Monarch Butterfly display from farm-raised butterflies. Art that has a story is much more fun!
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Tank the Madagascan Hissing Cockroach
Let me introduce Tank. Tank just moved here from Madagascar and is really grumpy (hissing cockroaches hiss when they are mad); hence his give name of Cantankerous. And you can’t blame him with three missing forearms, a half broken antennae, and living in a room with a women who is about to have 15 babies. Plus, he is a cockroach, which are hated by most.
Despite his reasonable reasons for being grumpy, Tank is here to teach us something about his fascinating family, who have been around the block a lot longer than most animals. In the upcoming months, Tank will demonstrate and share some of the amazing attributes of cockroaches. I promise you will never look at a cockroach the same again.
Today Tank is going to give you a little background on his family ancestry. Tank is a cockroach and a member of the Blattodea insect order, which contains 4,000 other known cockroach species. Tank’s ancestry goes back farther than the dinosaurs and the earliest cockroach-like fossil relatives appeared about 325 million years ago. Tanks closest relative is the termitie, which most scientists believe evolved from cockroaches about 100 million years ago. Tank realizes that being related to termites does not help his PR so he will have to convince you his family is cool in an upcoming blog entry. Today he is just introducing himself.
Despite his reasonable reasons for being grumpy, Tank is here to teach us something about his fascinating family, who have been around the block a lot longer than most animals. In the upcoming months, Tank will demonstrate and share some of the amazing attributes of cockroaches. I promise you will never look at a cockroach the same again.
Today Tank is going to give you a little background on his family ancestry. Tank is a cockroach and a member of the Blattodea insect order, which contains 4,000 other known cockroach species. Tank’s ancestry goes back farther than the dinosaurs and the earliest cockroach-like fossil relatives appeared about 325 million years ago. Tanks closest relative is the termitie, which most scientists believe evolved from cockroaches about 100 million years ago. Tank realizes that being related to termites does not help his PR so he will have to convince you his family is cool in an upcoming blog entry. Today he is just introducing himself.
Insect Wallpaper
Nov/13/2009 Filed in: insect art
Jennifer Angus, an artist from Madison, WI, has created some insect art that may give some people nightmares. But, if you are an entomologist, it may give you another type of dream. This is not your typical wallpaper you can get at Home Depot, but wallpaper embellished with REAL insects, 1,000’s of them. I think it is absolutely beautiful and if my wife would let me, I would plaster the whole house with it. Jennifer’s works have been featured at many major museums and to learn more and see her work visit her website at http://www.jenniferangus.com/home.htm
BUG update
Nov/07/2009 Filed in: Website
Bug Under Glass has a brand new website and with every new website there are a few glitches. Luckily we don't have any major problems but are in the process of updating our ONLINE SHOP so the experience will be much more pleasant. If anyone has suggestions or ideas I would love to hear them. I have made this website iPhone compatible for those with iPHONES. Despite the focus on the website right now, we are still making high quality insect art / butterfly displays and preparing for the holidays. Stay tuned for some new displays and thanks for your patience! Kevin
Ancient Fly Monster Discovered
Nov/03/2009 Filed in: insect research
