Milwaukee Public Museum MPM Insectarium Full Species List

birdsandbats

birdsandbats

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
Date of visit: March 28 2018

Here is a complete list of live species on exhibit in Milwaukee Public Museum's insectarium:

Puelicher Butterfly Wing (walk-through)
Ruby-Spotted Swallowtail (Papilio anchisiades)
Grecian Shoemaker (Catonephele numilia)
Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon)
Blue Cracker (Hamadryas feronia)
Clipper (Parthenos sylvia)
Crimson-Banded Black (Biblis hyperia)
Red Mormon (Papilio rumanzovia)
Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Ruby-Spotted Swallowtail (Papilio anchisiades)
Great Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina)
Peleides Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides)
Great Yellow Mormon (Papilio lowi)
Tiger Longwing (Heliconius hecale)
Giant Owl Butterfly (Caligo memnon)
Blue Wave (Myscelia cyaniris)
Sara Longwing (Heliconius sara)
Malachite (Siproeta stelenes)
Red Postman (Heliconius erato)
Ismenius Tiger (Heliconius ismenius)
Common Mormon (Papilio polytes)
Paper Kite (Idea leuconoe)
Brown Daggerwing (Hypna clytemnestra)
Banded Orange (Dryadula phaetusa)
Rusty-Tipped Page (Siproeta epaphus)
Great Mormon (Papilio memnon)
Emerald Swallowtail (Papilio palinurus)
Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charithonia)
Common Postman (Heliconius melpomene)
Golden Birdwing (Troides aeacus)
Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas)
Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)

Bugs Alive!
1. Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)
2. Giant Desert Centipede (Scolopendra heros)
3. Giant Black Millipede (Archispirostrepus gigas)
4. Flat Rock Scorpion (Hadogenes troglodytes)
5. Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus imperator)
6. Tanzanian Giant Striped Tailess Whipscorpion (Damon diadema)
7. Giant Vinegaroon (Mastigoproctus giganteus)
8. Chilean Rosehair Tarantula (Grammostola rosea)
9. Antillies Pink Toe Tarantula (Caribena versicolor)
10. Giant Cockroach (Blaberus craniifer)
11. Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa)
12. Giant Prickly Stick Insect (Extatosoma tiaratum)
13. unidentified mantis
14. Two-Spot Assassin Bug (Platymeris biguttatus)
15. Jade-Headed Buffalo Beetle (Eudicella smithii)
 
Here are a couple things I noticed about this museum:

  • Their taxidermy bird collection is quite nice, except for the fact that it is scattered between different displays and rarely mentioned in the description of the display. Apparently Carolina Parakeets aren't worth mentioning, but some boring common mammals and turkeys are.
  • Their live insect collection has really declined. Five terrariums that were present a few years ago aren't now. And what replaced them? A "smell the bugs" station! :mad:
  • You can tell how old the displays are when the case of "rare Wisconsin animals" includes Tufted Titmouse and European Starling.
  • They advertise dinosaurs. They don't have much for dinosaur fossils.
  • Fittingly, this museum really uses A LOT of Milwaukee Dioramas.
 
Thanks for the list...that qualifies this place as a 'zoo' for sure! :)
 
Thank you for the list and observations! I would like to see the jade-headed buffalo beetle the most.
 
birdsandbats said:
Date of visit: March 28 2018

Here is a complete list of live species on exhibit in Milwaukee Public Museum's insectarium:

Puelicher Butterfly Wing (walk-through)
Ruby-Spotted Swallowtail (Papilio anchisiades)
Grecian Shoemaker (Catonephele numilia)
Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon)
Blue Cracker (Hamadryas feronia)
Clipper (Parthenos sylvia)
Crimson-Banded Black (Biblis hyperia)
Red Mormon (Papilio rumanzovia)
Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Ruby-Spotted Swallowtail (Papilio anchisiades)
Great Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina)
Peleides Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides)
Great Yellow Mormon (Papilio lowi)
Tiger Longwing (Heliconius hecale)
Giant Owl Butterfly (Caligo memnon)
Blue Wave (Myscelia cyaniris)
Sara Longwing (Heliconius sara)
Malachite (Siproeta stelenes)
Red Postman (Heliconius erato)
Ismenius Tiger (Heliconius ismenius)
Common Mormon (Papilio polytes)
Paper Kite (Idea leuconoe)
Brown Daggerwing (Hypna clytemnestra)
Banded Orange (Dryadula phaetusa)
Rusty-Tipped Page (Siproeta epaphus)
Great Mormon (Papilio memnon)
Emerald Swallowtail (Papilio palinurus)
Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charithonia)
Common Postman (Heliconius melpomene)
Golden Birdwing (Troides aeacus)
Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas)
Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)

Bugs Alive!
1. Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)
2. Giant Desert Centipede (Scolopendra heros)
3. Giant Black Millipede (Archispirostrepus gigas)
4. Flat Rock Scorpion (Hadogenes troglodytes)
5. Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus imperator)
6. Tanzanian Giant Striped Tailess Whipscorpion (Damon diadema)
7. Giant Vinegaroon (Mastigoproctus giganteus)
8. Chilean Rosehair Tarantula (Grammostola rosea)
9. Antillies Pink Toe Tarantula (Caribena versicolor)
10. Giant Cockroach (Blaberus craniifer)
11. Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa)
12. Giant Prickly Stick Insect (Extatosoma tiaratum)
13. unidentified mantis
14. Two-Spot Assassin Bug (Platymeris biguttatus)
15. Jade-Headed Buffalo Beetle (Eudicella smithii)
Click to expand...
Update:

Date of Visit: April 1 2022

Puelicher Butterfly Wing (walk-through) (Going with what was signed here, suspect most species were not actually present)
Ruby-Spotted Swallowtail (Papilio anchisiades)
Grecian Shoemaker (Catonephele numilia)
Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon)
Blue Cracker (Hamadryas feronia)
Clipper (Parthenos sylvia)
Crimson-Banded Black (Biblis hyperia)
Red Mormon (Papilio rumanzovia)
Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Ruby-Spotted Swallowtail (Papilio anchisiades)
Great Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina)
Peleides Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides)
Great Yellow Mormon (Papilio lowi)
Tiger Longwing (Heliconius hecale)
Giant Owl Butterfly (Caligo memnon)
Blue Wave (Myscelia cyaniris)
Sara Longwing (Heliconius sara)
Malachite (Siproeta stelenes)
Red Postman (Heliconius erato)
Ismenius Tiger (Heliconius ismenius)
Common Mormon (Papilio polytes)
Paper Kite (Idea leuconoe)
Brown Daggerwing (Hypna clytemnestra)
Banded Orange (Dryadula phaetusa)
Rusty-Tipped Page (Siproeta epaphus)
Great Mormon (Papilio memnon)
Emerald Swallowtail (Papilio palinurus)
Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charithonia)
Common Postman (Heliconius melpomene)
Golden Birdwing (Troides aeacus)
Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas)
Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)

Bugs Alive!
1. Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)
2. Giant Desert Centipede (Scolopendra heros)
3. Giant Black Millipede (Archispirostrepus gigas)
4. Flat Rock Scorpion (Hadogenes troglodytes)
5. Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus imperator)
6. Tanzanian Giant Striped Tailess Whipscorpion (Damon diadema)
7. Giant Vinegaroon (Mastigoproctus giganteus)
8. Chilean Rosehair Tarantula (Grammostola rosea)
9. Antillies Pink Toe Tarantula (Caribena versicolor)
10. Giant Cockroach (Blaberus craniifer), unidentified cockroach species
11. Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa)
12. Giant Prickly Stick Insect (Extatosoma tiaratum)
13. Two-Spot Assassin Bug (Platymeris biguttatus)
14. Jade-Headed Buffalo Beetle (Eudicella smithii)
 
Update:

Date of visit: April 1 2023

Puelicher Butterfly Wing (walk-through) (Going with what was signed here, suspect most species were not actually present)
Ruby-spotted Swallowtail (Papilio anchisiades)
Grecian Shoemaker (Catonephele numilia)
Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon)
Blue Cracker (Hamadryas feronia)
Clipper (Parthenos sylvia)
Crimson-banded Black (Biblis hyperia)
Red Mormon (Papilio rumanzovia)
Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Ruby-spotted Swallowtail (Papilio anchisiades)
Great Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina)
Peleides Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides)
Great Yellow Mormon (Papilio lowi)
Tiger Longwing (Heliconius hecale)
Giant Owl Butterfly (Caligo memnon)
Blue Wave (Myscelia cyaniris)
Sara Longwing (Heliconius sara)
Malachite (Siproeta stelenes)
Red Postman (Heliconius erato)
Ismenius Tiger (Heliconius ismenius)
Common Mormon (Papilio polytes)
Paper Kite (Idea leuconoe)
Brown Daggerwing (Hypna clytemnestra)
Banded Orange (Dryadula phaetusa)
Rusty-tipped Page (Siproeta epaphus)
Great Mormon (Papilio memnon)
Emerald Swallowtail (Papilio palinurus)
Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charithonia)
Common Postman (Heliconius melpomene)
Golden Birdwing (Troides aeacus)
Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas)
Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)

Bugs Alive!
1. Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)
2. Giant Desert Centipede (Scolopendra heros)
3. Giant Black Millipede (Archispirostrepus gigas)
4. Flat Rock Scorpion (Hadogenes troglodytes)
5. Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus imperator)
6. Tanzanian Giant Striped Tailess Whipscorpion (Damon diadema)
7. Giant Vinegaroon (Mastigoproctus giganteus)
8. Chilean Rosehair Tarantula (Grammostola rosea)
9. Antillies Pink Toe Tarantula (Caribena versicolor)
10. Giant Cockroach (Blaberus craniifer)
11. Wide-horned Hisser (Gromphadorhina oblongonota)*
12. Giant Prickly Stick Insect (Extatosoma tiaratum)
13. Two-Spot Assassin Bug (Platymeris biguttatus)
14. Jade-Headed Buffalo Beetle (Eudicella smithii)

*not an actual change in exhibited species, just an updated taxonomy
 
Bugs Alive! Species List 7-29-24
The loss of species continues. The names, both common and Latin are as signed. * indicates not visible. + indicates possibly incorrect or not updated binomial name.​
Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)
Giant Desert Centipede (Scolopendra heros)
Giant Black Millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas)*
Flat Rock Scorpion (Hadogenes troglodytes)
Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus imperator)
Tanzanian Giant Striped Tailless Whip Scorpion (Damon diadema)*
Giant Vinegaroon (Mastigoproctus giganteus)
Rosehair Tarantula (Grammostola rosea)
Antilles Pink-Toe Tarantula (Avicularia versicolor)+
Giant Cockroach (Blaberus giganteus)+
Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa)+
Giant Prickly Walking Stick (Extatosoma tiaratum)
Two-Spotted Assassin (Platymeris biguttatus)
Jade-Headed Buffalo Beetle (Eudicella smithii)

Puelicher Butterfly Wing​
I did not see any signs indicating species. Butterflies are not a particular expertise of mine but I estimate at most 5-7 total species were present.
Live Display Review
This Bugs Alive! insectarium was never amazing to begin with but has really cratered lately. The crayfish "habitat" is probably the worst habitat I have ever seen for any animal in a professional facility. And thew rest, while adequate do not look good. This whole area should shut down as soon as possible. The Puelicher Butterfly Wing while a much better operation overall still has the feel of budgetary neglect.

General Thoughts on the MPM​

I has been a long time since I last visited MPM but wanted to see it one last time before the rebuild.

I have been here at least a couple dozen times starting as a small child, both family trips and school groups.

Unlike some of my other childhood haunts where regular changes lead to inconsistent memories, I think everything here is identical to what it was 20 years ago (and at that time my parents were guiding from their childhood memories).

While some of the dioramas are still impressive, the whole place is definitely in need of a redesign. As previously noted, some of the rarest and most interesting biological specimens are shoved aside, present but hidden and unlabeled (that poor platypus). Inaccurate plastic recreations take center stage, their animatronics long since frozen in place. Signage remains unchanged as well, with information that was out of date before I was born.

I hope when the new building opens, they manage to find a good balance between preserving the best exhibits here and creating new ones, all up to modern standards.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top