Giant water bugs and dragonflies are some of the aquatic insects to be featured at the Bohart Museum of Entomology’s open house from 1 to 4 p.m., Sunday, March 24 in Room 1124 Academic Surge, Crocker Lane, UC Davis campus. The event is free and open to the public.
The toe biters, know as giant water bugs, are in the Belostomatidae family of insects in the order Hemiptera. The largest insects in the order, they are found in freshwater streams and ponds throughout much of the world. In some Asian countries, the giant water bugs are considered a delicacy.
The toe biters or Belostomatids are unique in that the female lays her eggs on the back or wings of a male, who carries the eggs until they hatch.
The flame skimmers, also known as red or firecracker dragonflies, belong to the family Libellulidae and are native to western North America. The Libellula saturata is a common dragonfly in California. They inhabit warm ponds and streams. The immature flame skimmers or nymphs feed on such aquatic insects as mosquito larvae, aquatic fly larvae, mayfly larvae, freshwater shrimp, small fish, and tadpoles. The adults feed on soft-bodied insects including moths, flies, ants and bees.
In keeping with the aquatic insect theme, fly fishing drawers will also be featured at the aquatic insect-themed open house, said Tabatha Yang, Bohart Museum education and outreach coordinator. The drawers hold such specimens as caddisflies, mayflies and stoneflies.
The Bohart Museum, directed by Lynn Kimsey, professor of entomology at UC Davis, houses a global collection of nearly eight million insect specimens and is the seventh largest insect collection in North America. It is also the home of the California Insect Survey, a storehouse of the insect biodiversity. Noted entomologist Richard M. Bohart (1913-2007) founded the museum in 1946.
Visitors can also hold such live specimens as Madagascar hissing cockroaches and walking sticks. The gift shop includes t-shirts, jewelry, insect nets, posters and books, including the newly published children’s book, “The Story of the Dogface Butterfly,” written by UC Davis doctoral candidate Fran Keller and illustrated (watercolor and ink) by Laine Bauer, a 2012 graduate of UC Davis. The 35-page book, geared toward kindergarteners through sixth graders, also includes photos by naturalist Greg Kareofelas of Davis, a volunteer at the Bohart.
The book tells the untold story of the California dogface butterfly (Zerene eurydice), Keller said. Bauer’s illustrations depict the life cycle of this butterfly and the children who helped designate it as the California state insect.
The net proceeds from the sale of this book go directly to the education, outreach and research programs of the Bohart Museum. The book can also be ordered online at http://www.bohartmuseum.com/the-story-of-the-dogface-butterfly.html.
Bohart officials schedule weekend open houses throughout the academic year so that families and others who cannot attend on the weekdays can do so on the weekends. The Bohart’s regular hours are from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The insect museum is closed to the public on Fridays and on major holidays. Admission is free.
The remainder of the open houses for the academic year:
Saturday, April 20: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Theme: UC Davis Picnic Day
Saturday, May 11, 1 to 4 p.m.
Theme: "Moth-er's Day"
Sunday, June 9, 1 to 4 p.m.
Theme: "How to Find Insects"
For further information, contact Yang at tabyang@ucdavis.edu or (530) 752-0493.
--Kathy Keatley Garvey
Communications specialist
UC Davis Department of Entomology
(530) 754-6894