I made my first visit to Bug World in Liverpool today, so here is my report.
The collection is situated in the south-western corner of Albert Dock and the pay desk is in the shop area. After I paid my admission I was invited to watch a 5 minute eeducational film about invertebrates. There are something like 7 billion humans on earth, and 17 billion billion insects. I think we are outnumbered.
After the film was over I was escorted out of the cimena and invited to enter the exhibit proper, which is up a short flight of stairs. The first area is rainforest which houses,
Madagascan Hissing Cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa)
Leafcutter Ant (Atta cephalotes)
East African Praying Mantis (Sphodromantia lineola)
Seychelles Giant Millipede (Scaphiostreptus seychellarum) Critically Endangered
Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tarantula (Poecilotheria metallica) Critically Endangered
The Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tarantula was a new species for me.
Next is the savannah, it is necessary to pass under an arch formed of the legs and belly of a Reticulated Giraffe to gain access to this area. (Obviously a model, and not a real giraffe). On the hind leg of the giraffe was a note explaining how kissing bugs are used to obtain blood samples from zoo animals.
The livestock was,
Egyptian Dung Beetle (Scarabaeus sacer)
Red-spotted Assassin Bug (Platymeris rhodamanthus)
Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula (Brachypelma smithi) Near Threatened
Giant Centipede (Scolopendra)
Death Stalker Scorpion (Leiurus quinquestriatus)
Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria)
A large part of this room is taken up with severala rtificial termite mounds, complete with pull-out signs explaining the different casts of termite society, and a cut-away section of a nest. A model of a Camel Spider is clinging to one of the mounds.
The Assasin Bug and the Centipede had warning labels, 'Beware these bugs are dangerous'.
I had a go on two of the interactive displays, one was a bug idol contest where visitors could audition several insects to form a band, based on the musical abilities of the species, i.e. crickets 'singing'. The other was a game in which the user controlled a bug that had to gather seeds without being drowned in quick sand or eaten by spiders and scorpions. I scored 26, The highest score for the day was 117. Then again I've never been much good at computer games.
The Assassin Bugs and Death Stalker Scorpions were new species for me. I was surprised by the small size of the scorpion, it was tiny. I would guess about the length of a 20p coin.
Next is the water bugs area. An empty tank was being prepared as an exhibit for local marine invertebrates taken from the River Mersey.
The species here are,
Caribbean Land Hermit Crab (Coenobita clypeata)
American Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus)
South American Fishing Spider (Ancylometes bogotensis)
Medicinal Leech (Hirudo medicinalis) Vulnerable
A microscope offers the chance to see specimens of Hydra buds, Desmido, Radiolaria and Obelia hydroid colony.
I saw my first Fishing Spider.
The next area is woodland,
Fruit Beetles (Pachnoda)
Giant Fregate Beetle (Polposipus herculeanus) Critically Endangered
Macleay's Spectre Stick Insect (Extatosoma tiaratum)
Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus mactans)
Kent Yellow-tailed Scorpion (Euscorpius flavicaudis)
The scorpion was new for me and was the hardest creature to find. I eventually located it hidden in a crevice between two stones.
The centre of the room is dominated by a model oak tree trunk, with various pull-out draws and compartments documenting the life associated with living oaks. There were model harvestman and ladybirds. An exhibit explaining how beetle larvae tunnel through the wood, the sounds of a hornet nest, purple hairstreak, speckled wood and pearl-bordered fritillary butterfiles, and three galls, oak marble, Andricus inflator ands Knopper.
There is also a small garden area which had model lacewing, bumble bee, ladybirds and hoverflies.
The last exhibit area was a house, with two species new for me.
Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda venatoria)
Cockroach (Eublaberus posticus)
Under the kitchen worktops are models of saw-toothed grain beetle, biscuit beetle and rice weevil. All larger than life size.
Across from the kitchen area is a sink containing a model common house spider, and nearby a video was playing of one of Sir David Attenborough's Life programmes, featuring insects.
Finally there is the usual childrens' soft play area and a desk where visitors have the chance to handle some live specimens. Today these were Seychelles Giant Millipede, Madagascan Hissing Cockroach and Giant Land Snail, the latter was given to me on a piece of bark. The lady at the desk was very helpful and informative, and explained to me the reason for the Partula snail conservation programme.
Three species of Partula are on show
P.affinis Critically Endangered
P.hebe bella Extinct in the Wild
P.rosea Extinct in the Wild
I think all three were new species for me, but I'm not certain.
There is also a specimen of the Rosy Wolf Snail (Euglandina rosea) together with Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus imperator) and Giant Land Snail (Achatina fulica).
I enjoyed my visit and stayed for 90 minutes, longer than I had expected.
The collection is situated in the south-western corner of Albert Dock and the pay desk is in the shop area. After I paid my admission I was invited to watch a 5 minute eeducational film about invertebrates. There are something like 7 billion humans on earth, and 17 billion billion insects. I think we are outnumbered.
After the film was over I was escorted out of the cimena and invited to enter the exhibit proper, which is up a short flight of stairs. The first area is rainforest which houses,
Madagascan Hissing Cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa)
Leafcutter Ant (Atta cephalotes)
East African Praying Mantis (Sphodromantia lineola)
Seychelles Giant Millipede (Scaphiostreptus seychellarum) Critically Endangered
Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tarantula (Poecilotheria metallica) Critically Endangered
The Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tarantula was a new species for me.
Next is the savannah, it is necessary to pass under an arch formed of the legs and belly of a Reticulated Giraffe to gain access to this area. (Obviously a model, and not a real giraffe). On the hind leg of the giraffe was a note explaining how kissing bugs are used to obtain blood samples from zoo animals.
The livestock was,
Egyptian Dung Beetle (Scarabaeus sacer)
Red-spotted Assassin Bug (Platymeris rhodamanthus)
Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula (Brachypelma smithi) Near Threatened
Giant Centipede (Scolopendra)
Death Stalker Scorpion (Leiurus quinquestriatus)
Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria)
A large part of this room is taken up with severala rtificial termite mounds, complete with pull-out signs explaining the different casts of termite society, and a cut-away section of a nest. A model of a Camel Spider is clinging to one of the mounds.
The Assasin Bug and the Centipede had warning labels, 'Beware these bugs are dangerous'.
I had a go on two of the interactive displays, one was a bug idol contest where visitors could audition several insects to form a band, based on the musical abilities of the species, i.e. crickets 'singing'. The other was a game in which the user controlled a bug that had to gather seeds without being drowned in quick sand or eaten by spiders and scorpions. I scored 26, The highest score for the day was 117. Then again I've never been much good at computer games.
The Assassin Bugs and Death Stalker Scorpions were new species for me. I was surprised by the small size of the scorpion, it was tiny. I would guess about the length of a 20p coin.
Next is the water bugs area. An empty tank was being prepared as an exhibit for local marine invertebrates taken from the River Mersey.
The species here are,
Caribbean Land Hermit Crab (Coenobita clypeata)
American Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus)
South American Fishing Spider (Ancylometes bogotensis)
Medicinal Leech (Hirudo medicinalis) Vulnerable
A microscope offers the chance to see specimens of Hydra buds, Desmido, Radiolaria and Obelia hydroid colony.
I saw my first Fishing Spider.
The next area is woodland,
Fruit Beetles (Pachnoda)
Giant Fregate Beetle (Polposipus herculeanus) Critically Endangered
Macleay's Spectre Stick Insect (Extatosoma tiaratum)
Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus mactans)
Kent Yellow-tailed Scorpion (Euscorpius flavicaudis)
The scorpion was new for me and was the hardest creature to find. I eventually located it hidden in a crevice between two stones.
The centre of the room is dominated by a model oak tree trunk, with various pull-out draws and compartments documenting the life associated with living oaks. There were model harvestman and ladybirds. An exhibit explaining how beetle larvae tunnel through the wood, the sounds of a hornet nest, purple hairstreak, speckled wood and pearl-bordered fritillary butterfiles, and three galls, oak marble, Andricus inflator ands Knopper.
There is also a small garden area which had model lacewing, bumble bee, ladybirds and hoverflies.
The last exhibit area was a house, with two species new for me.
Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda venatoria)
Cockroach (Eublaberus posticus)
Under the kitchen worktops are models of saw-toothed grain beetle, biscuit beetle and rice weevil. All larger than life size.
Across from the kitchen area is a sink containing a model common house spider, and nearby a video was playing of one of Sir David Attenborough's Life programmes, featuring insects.
Finally there is the usual childrens' soft play area and a desk where visitors have the chance to handle some live specimens. Today these were Seychelles Giant Millipede, Madagascan Hissing Cockroach and Giant Land Snail, the latter was given to me on a piece of bark. The lady at the desk was very helpful and informative, and explained to me the reason for the Partula snail conservation programme.
Three species of Partula are on show
P.affinis Critically Endangered
P.hebe bella Extinct in the Wild
P.rosea Extinct in the Wild
I think all three were new species for me, but I'm not certain.
There is also a specimen of the Rosy Wolf Snail (Euglandina rosea) together with Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus imperator) and Giant Land Snail (Achatina fulica).
I enjoyed my visit and stayed for 90 minutes, longer than I had expected.
