August 17, 2018

Location: Durham, NC, Museum of Life and Science

I am a Heliconius Melpomene,
The Postman Butterfly, more commonly.
When I'm larvae I like to eat Passiflora,
And I'm known to fly erratically.

Sources: Heliconius Homepage

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

August 16, 2018

Location: Durham, NC, Museum of Life and Science

I am a Blue Morpho Butterfly
Shown here from the underside.
From above I am bright, iridescent blue,
But with my wings closed, it's easier to hide.

Sources: UF | IFAS Featured Creatures - Blue Morpho Butterfly

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

August 15, 2018

Location: Durham, NC, Museum of Life and Science

I am an Owl Butterfly
To a predator, my eyespots look like an owl.
I like to get drunk on fermented fruit juice
And then go out on the prowl.

Sources: Natural History Museum - Spotlight: The Owl Butterfly

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

August 14, 2018

Location: Durham, NC, Museum of Life and Science

I am a male Giant Malaysian Walking Stick
I wear the perfect disguise.
I look exactly like a stick
Except, in general, sticks don't have eyes.

Sources: St. Louis Zoo - Mayalsian Walkingstick

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

August 13, 2018

Location: Durham, NC, Museum of Life and Science

I'm a Goliath Birdeater Tarantula
South America is where I'm from.
I have 8 eyes, but I don't see much
So I use hair on my legs to sense vibrations.

Sources: Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute - Goliath Bird Eating Tarantula

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

August 12, 2018

Location: Durham, NC, Museum of Life and Science

I'm a Madagascar Giant Hissing Roach
I fight with my horns over women.

Males with smaller horns have bigger testicles,

So even if I lose, I win.

Sources:

• National Geographic - Madagascar Giant Hissing Cochroach
• Durrant, K. L. et al. Comparative morphological trade-offs between pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection in Giant hissing cockroaches (Tribe: Gromphadorhini). Sci. Rep. 6, 36755; doi: 10.1038/srep36755 (2016).

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

August 11, 2018

Location: North Carolina, rest stop

I am a Bumblebee on a Coneflower,
I'm one of 250 species worldwide.
My wingbeats are used for "buzz pollination",
You can thank me for the fruit I provide!

Sources: Life Science - Facts About Bumblebees

Photo and text © 2018 Dee Fairbanks Simpson