Bugs Alive

A new colony of Jumping Jack Ants is installed in Bugs Alive. Visitors will know these smaller relatives of the Bull Ant for their fearsome sting and feisty nature. This display is a unique safe opportunity to see what they get up to underground- in particular their careful parenting of larvae and pupae.

Jumping Jack Photo: Alan Henderson Source: Museum Victoria

The Meat Ants ‘heads up’ display is different from the Bull Ants and jumping Jacks in that there is no queen- so they don’t breed on display and numbers need to be regularly topped up as older ants die off. This display has just been replenished with ants collected by ‘super pooter’ (a modified vacuum cleaner)) from a huge nest near Ballarat. Meat Ants distinguish individuals from their colony from those of other colonies chemically, and will instantly attack them. Keeper staff have discovered that by washing the ants, the old ants accept the new ants without aggression. It seems the chemical message is lost in the washing.

Meat Ant display- Bugs Alive! Photo: Luke Simpkin Source Museum Victoria

Forest Gallery

On the boardwalk next to the large log display you will see Grass Trigger Plants (Stylidium) coming into flower. The tall flower stems have tiny pink flowers which have evolved a specialised ‘hammer’ structure for the purpose of pollination. This is tensioned in some way and released when a pollinating insect alights on the bloom. The hammer springs forward thumping the stamen on the back of the unsuspecting bug, which them flies off to spread pollen to other blooms. Edible nectar and pollen are the ‘bribes’ the plant provides to ensure the insects come and do their bit.

Trigger Plant in bloom- note ''trigger' on lower right flower Photo: Luke Simpkin Source: Museum Victoria

Blue Wren chicks have recently fledged and may heard more than seen amongst the False Bracken Fern at the north end of the gallery. The Tawny Frogmouths have not bred but there has been nesting activity from a female Satin Bower Bird in the Hard Tree Ferns above the boardwalk. The Yellow Robin is calling but will have to wait until next season for us to source him a mate. He has otherwise settled well into the gallery.

Young wrens- note male on left moulting and reddish plumage around eyes of juvenile on right Photo: Luke Simpkin Source: Museum Victoria

The Eastern Long-necked Turtle has also been wandering about in the southern end of the gallery. There is only one- a male- in there currently. We are growing up a number of Murray Turtles back of house for release into Milarri maybe late next year if they are sufficiently grown. We hope this will be a further attraction in addition to the eels and Silver Perch.

Honeybees

Following the initial swarming, the remaining colony and its new queen have settled quickly into pollen packing and larvae production. The feeder has been using about 30 grams per day supplementary feed but the bees will be bringing in more of their own given the amount of flowering in the gardens currently.

Feeder on top of display hive Photo: Luke Simpkin Source: Museum Victoria

Milarri Garden

The Grass Trees (Xanthorrhea) are looking especially luxuriant lately. These plants were indicators for pastoralists of poor quality soils, and are able to thrive where other plants cannot. They are fire adapted- being highly flammable and producing huge flower spikes following fire. In this part of the world, the resins were used by Indigenous people as a glue while the flower stems, split in half made perfect bases for fire ‘drill’ sticks made from the Austral Mulberry (which may be seen growing in Forest Gallery). See examples of these artefacts displayed in the platform showcase in the Forest Gallery.

Platform showcase in Forest Gallery Photo: Luke Simpkin Source: Museum Victoria

Forest Gallery

Recently we had the pleasure of touring Forest Gallery and Milarri with Beth Gott- the noted Ethnobotanist from Monash University who has spent a lifetime recording indigenous plant knowledge from indigenous people and historical records across Victoria. She added to our knowledge of indigenous plant uses and advised us that the content in the Seasons Ribbon in Forest Gallery ought to be reviewed and revised in the light of new research. The likely outcome is that the names of the six seasons will be reviewed in line with historical evidence about season naming by the Kulin and some other information may also be updated. This exemplifies the work required to get a picture of complete indigenous knowledge systems based on fragmented knowledge and evidence especially in Victoria where cultures have been so strongly suppressed. The Museum is keen to present the most accurate picture possible to visitors and so will revisit new information as it comes to light. The changes will take some time to fully research and put in place.

Bugs Alive

Are they real? How many times to we hear this question from our visitors? What they are meaning is: are they alive? Visitors to a Museum do not expect to see live animals and this presents both challenge and opportunity in Bugs Alive. Opportunity is to surprise and delight visitors who make the discovery for themselves when that tarantula moves its leg, or they realise the orb weavers in the webs aren’t models. But just as often, visitors do not realise they are alive and miss the experience altogether. Hence we have been at sixes and se

vens about what to do to try to improve the experience. Recently Alan Henderson put live spiders signs in the spider web room and we have been trying to overhear whether this is having any positive impact on visitors’ experiences. We often notice people not realising the centipede, scorpion and tarantulas (especially those in the ‘peeps’) are alive. We would be interested for staff who work in the space to keep an eye and ear out to gather some impressions of how the signs are working and whether we might extend this idea to other live displays in the space. Go spying!

Honeybees

They’ve fought off ants bbut the wax moths are getting the better of the hive currently, and Tuesday 15th the affected frame will be changed over. It will be replaced with a blank frame without the wax that attracts the moths. The bees will colonise the frame making their own wax in Spring if they start building up numbers, but until then it will be cool slow moving bees- typical of winter.

Milarri Garden

People typically assume that the eels need three square meals a day like we do, however eels are cold-blooded and expend very little energy moving, hence they require very little food particularly in the winter. A decent feed once a month would be more than enough, however to ensure they turn up for the CSO feeds we dole out very small quantities. The other great place to see Short-fin Eels is the Botanic gardens lake. If you get a chance, check them out.

Hatching the Past

Fluffy the 3-year old alligator made twice daily appearances during the bumper school holidays including one appearance in the Herald-Sun last week.  

Baby Alligator on the model 'mum' within the Museum's exhibit. Photo: Annie Henderson  Source: Annie Henderson 

Unlike Saltwater Crocodiles, American Aligators are placid, handleable animals that will only bite under the most adverse situations, hence they are very suitable for display. 35,541 came through during the school holidays (that’s blockbuster territory) and the chickens, chameleon and alligator did their best to engage the audiences with all things dinosaurish.