Enjoy the Museum from Home via our Blog

Can't make it to the museum in person? We've done our best to help cultivate resources for you to enjoy from home. Activities for the whole family, different ways to experience our exhibitions and more are included in these blogs.

December 14, 2020 by wpengine

Oh deer, that’s a lot of parasites!

by Andrea Kautz

When a permitted hunter harvested a deer from Powdermill Nature Reserve in mid-November, I took the opportunity as an entomologist to inspect the hide for parasites. I was not surprised to find deer ticks and deer keds on the animal, but I was surprised by how many parasites there were, and the presence of two additional species of ticks not previously known from Powdermill.

Deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are infamous to most Pennsylvanians as the main vectors of Lyme disease. Over 300 deer ticks were found on this single deer, so that should give you an idea of how they can be so abundant, especially in areas with high deer densities. Adult females (Picture 1) were mostly found attached to the skin, in the process of becoming engorged with blood. Many adult males were also found on the deer, but since they don’t require a blood meal, what were they doing on a host? It turns out, a deer is a great place to locate a mate! While the female is attached for days feeding on blood, a male can easily locate and mate with her by inserting his mouthparts into an opening on her ventral side. Many of the females removed from the deer had a male attached (Picture 2).

female deer tick with male deer tick attached

Deer keds (Lipoptena cervi) are sometimes called tick flies because of their resemblance to ticks (both are flattened dorsoventrally), but they behave rather differently. Keds move much faster than ticks, and don’t remain attached for long periods of time while feeding. They are indeed true flies, in the same group of insects as the typical house fly, but they remove their wings once they locate a host, to make it easier to move within the dense hair. The adult females and males both feed on blood, and the female carries one larva at a time internally, giving birth to a mature larva ready to pupate. This is rare among insects, which typically lay many eggs at one time. About 450 keds were collected off this one deer, so the strategy seems to be working for them!

Winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus) are closely related to the more familiar American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), but have a different life cycle. While most ticks utilize different hosts throughout their life cycle (feeding on three different animals as a larva, nymph, and adult), winter ticks spend their whole life on a single host, most commonly a deer, elk, or moose. They can be a serious problem for moose when infestations are severe. Three males of this species were collected off the deer. Although the winter tick has a broad distribution across North America, this trio represents the first Powdermill record.

The fourth and final parasite recovered from the deer was a single female Lone Star tick (Amblyomma americanum). Easily recognized by the white dot on the back of adult females, Lone Star ticks are found across the eastern U.S. and use a variety of mammals and birds as hosts. This is our first time encountering this species at Powdermill as well!

Penn State is conducting a citizen science project called PA Parasite Hunters to learn more about deer parasitology and vector-borne diseases, so the keds and ticks we collected will be sent there in order to contribute to these important studies.

Andrea Kautz is a Research Entomologist at Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Powdermill Nature Reserve. Museum employees are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences and knowledge gained from working at the museum.

Pork, Peppermint, and Prosperity

The Peppermint Pig

pink peppermint pig with red bag and small silver hammer

On Christmas Day, after we’ve had dinner and dessert and all sit around the table chatting, my family observes one of my favorite holiday traditions. This tradition involves a red velvet pouch, a tiny metal hammer, and a piece of bright pink, peppermint-flavored hard candy in the shape of… a pig!

The peppermint candy pig is placed in the velvet pouch and we pass it around the table, every person giving it a solid whack with the little hammer and sharing a fond story or memory from the past year. After the pig is broken into small enough pieces, we each eat a piece of the candy, and continue enjoying each other’s company. Some years, the whole family is together—gathered from far away—and the pig is broken quite quickly. Other years, when we can’t all be together, it may take the smaller group longer to break the pig; but that just gives each of us the chance to share more memories.

This tradition is not unique to my family, but I haven’t met anyone outside my family that also observes this custom! It originated during the Victorian Era (1837-1901) in Saratoga Springs, New York. Pigs were honored in Victorian holiday celebrations as symbols of health, prosperity, and happiness. Peppermint oil has a long history of use in medicine, as it helps calm an upset stomach, and has been a popular candy flavoring for a very long time – in fact, no one is entirely sure when peppermint candy was first developed!

Believe it or not, breaking the peppermint pig is not the only pig-themed custom my family observes!

Pork and Sauerkraut

My family is mostly German, though we are also Austrian and Slovakian. One German custom we observe during the holiday season is eating pork and sauerkraut, a dish made from fermented cabbage, for our New Year’s Day dinner. This is another favorite tradition of mine, and one of my favorite meals, though I didn’t like sauerkraut when I was a kid! Now I love pork and sauerkraut and look forward to the smell of it filling my house on New Year’s Day as it slowly cooks all day long.

Germans eat pork and sauerkraut for New Year’s because it’s meant to be lucky, and we want to start a new year off with some luck. This tradition came to the United States with German immigrants in the 17^th and 18^thcenturies. Many of these immigrants settled in Pennsylvania and their descendants are now known as Pennsylvania Dutch (Dutch is derived from Deutsch which means German in the German language). My family is not Pennsylvania Dutch, though we do originate from the same part of the state.

Pigs are lucky animals because they root forward when looking for food, much like we want to look forward as the year begins. For this reason, we don’t eat any chicken or turkey on New Year’s Day; these birds scratch their feet behind them, and we don’t want to move backward, we want to move forward!

Sauerkraut is a lucky food for a few reasons. The long strands of cabbage can represent a long life and the green color of the cabbage (before it’s been fermented) represents money. Sauerkraut is also a great health food: it is a source of vitamins C and K, calcium, and magnesium, it’s low in calories, and it promotes good gut health! This might be another reason it’s considered lucky–people probably felt pretty good after eating it!

Guess what! There’s still one more pig-themed tradition I’d like to share!

Glücksschwein (the Good Luck Pig)

I have a small rubber pig that I have had since I was very young. For a very long time, I stuck it to the wall by my bedroom door, but now I have it sitting safely in a box of memories. This pig is my good luck pig, or Glücksschwein in German. Pigs are kind of similar to a four-leaf clover in representing good luck!

I’ve mentioned a few ways that pigs are related to luck, but I haven’t shared one major reason why pigs are considered lucky. Pigs are related to farming and livestock, and therefore wealth and prosperity! In Germany, pigs made from marzipan, a sweet made of sugar or honey and almond meal, might be given out to eat for New Years.

We don’t eat marzipan pigs for New Years, but instead I have my little glücksbringer—good-luck bringer, or lucky charm—to bring me luck and prosperity!

Jo Tauber is the Gallery Experience Coordinator in CMNH’s Life Long Learning Department. Museum staff, volunteers, and interns are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences and knowledge gained from working at the museum.

Ice and Snow: The effects of temperature

Winter is coming! The temperature is dropping. The first snow fall in the Laurel Highlands was gorgeous. The snow was hanging on the trees and piling up around the cabin we were staying in. Driving home to Pittsburgh in the storm was not so fun, reminding me of scenes from Game of Thrones and my childhood. By the next morning the beauty of the snow was already receding as the temperatures climbed in Pittsburgh.

Snow laden pine tree at Powdermill Nature Reserve. December 1, 2020.

Full disclosure, I love winter – but then I am from Minnesota where one either embraces the cold and snow or hibernates for the long cold days. We celebrate winter in Minnesota. The St. Paul Winter Carnival began in 1887, when some east coast journalists claimed that the state was as inhabitable as Siberia. The annual festival developed its own legend with events like ice skating, a night parade, a full-sized ice palace, and an ice sculpting contest. It can be magical. The carnival is in January – often the coldest time of the year, with sub-zero temperatures and bitter cold winds. However, occasionally there is a thaw.

The ice sculpting contest is in held in Rice Park, across from the Courthouse and St. Paul Public Library (yes, it is one of the Carnegie Libraries). Dozens of intricate sculptures are carved each year. When I lived in the city, I used to walk across the park daily on my way to work from my bus stop. It was fascinating to watch the sculptures take form. Artists would use hot water to build blocks of ice into the basic form, then use chain saws, chisels and more hot water to carve and sculpt. My favorites were the fanciful forms that were crystal clear. Standard practices changed during the heat wave of 2008. Temperatures rose to the mid 30’s during the day and refreeze each night. With each passing day the sculptures deformed and lost definition. That year the judging did not take place.

Within a few days this elegant swan went from a crystal-clear sculpture to the distorted image you see here. What a little warmth will do! The extreme and fluctuating temperatures that we experience during the winter months pose a challenge. Have you ever wondered why potholes develop or why slabs of the sidewalk tilt? What we think of as the ground freezing is mostly the water in the ground freezing. As this happens the water expands (think ice cubes). As the temperature warms up, above 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the ground subsides. Of course, it does not do this in a uniform manner – some areas freeze faster and thaw faster than others. Rocks and soil shift. The hard surface of the road or sidewalk is dislodged. The concrete slab tilts or the pothole develops. Of course, heavy traffic from cars and trucks just aggravates the situation. The more often the temperature fluctuates between freezing and thawing – the worse the problem is and the more damage to your car as you hit that pothole.

As the Objects Conservator at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, I do not have to worry too much about these kinds of extreme temperature fluctuations. Most of the collections under my care are quite happy at the same temperatures that we humans find comfortable. Most materials are stable enough to survive moderate fluctuations, which can be maintained using heating and air-conditioning.

Gretchen Anderson is a conservator and the head of the Section of Conservation at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Museum employees are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences and knowledge gained from working at the museum.

Staying Connected to Nature in the Winter Months

December brought in a thick blanket of snow, and Pittsburgh looked like a winter wonderland. As I write, from my chair looking out into the wonderland, I am reminded of the beauty that nature has to offer and the splendor of Pittsburgh’s seasonal climate. While all I want to do today is curl up with a good book next to a fire sipping a hot drink, I am aware that too much indoor time is not the best for my wellbeing as it can reinforce the “winter blues.”

I personally find that getting outdoors is the best way to re-center, reconnect, and restore my wellbeing. As described by Bratman et al. (2012), “for hundreds of years and across many cultures of the world, influential traditions in science, philosophy, poetry, and religion have emphasized the role that nature plays in providing feelings of wellbeing. In the modern era of scientific enterprise, a large body of work has demonstrated the importance of nature to human physical health, characterizing the numerous ways in which people depend on the natural environment for security in the supply of food, water, energy, climate stability, and other material ingredients of well-being.”

However, while beautiful, winter can make it difficult to get out and get reconnected with nature. So, how do I get out in nature during the winter months? Here are some tricks that I use to keep a hike comfortable during the colder months:

1. Stay local! The days are short, and there are limited daylight hours – if you stay local, you get to make the most of the shorter days. Staying local also allows shorter outdoor time commitments if it’s too cold, too wet, or there’s just not enough time in the day.

2. Layer up! We produce a lot of heat when we are active, and we might need to add or take away layers while outside. Layering up (or having layers available) allows us to maintain a more comfortable temperature while outdoors.

3. Protect your feet! This is a big one for me. My feet’s comfort are my gauge for how long I can stay out. Good socks (or layered socks) with waterproof boots or shoes can really make an outdoor adventure in winter enjoyable. If you are really into the winter hiking, snow shoes or shoes with ice spikes might be necessary for the more adventurous types.

4. Eat! Bring snacks and keep your metabolism going. Being outdoors in colder weather requires a lot of energy; so bring those snacks! Don’t be afraid of those Christmas cookies if you’re outside burning all those calories!

5. Be Cautious! Do your homework on where you are going and bring a friend if possible. Knowing the terrain ahead of time and looking up the safest route(s) can help you make the most of your trip. Having someone with you is also important for both safety and overall enjoyment.

Sometimes, it’s just not possible to hike safely during the winter months. Poor road conditions can make hiking sites inaccessible, and extreme temperatures and weather can create hazards. Sometimes, you just don’t have the time, or you are feeling under the weather. Well, there are little ways that you can still reconnect with “nature” indoors. You can grow indoor plants, watch nature TV or programs, read about nature, or even paint/draw nature. Get creative on how you bring the outdoors inside.

If you are feeling the winter blues or you feel out of sorts – try reconnecting with nature. It could be the boost to your wellbeing that you need to get through the indoor season.

Heather Hulton VanTassel is Assistant Director of Science and Research at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Museum employees are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences and knowledge gained from working at the museum.

Bratman et al. (2012). 118–136. New York Academy of Sciences. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06400.x.

The Bromacker Fossil Project Part XII: Tambacarnifex unguifalcatus, the Tambach executioner

New to this series? Read The Bromacker Fossil Project Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII, Part VIII, Part IX, Part X, and Part XI.

Holotype specimen of Tambacarnifex unguifalcatus, preserved in couterparts. Photographs by Dave Berman, 2010.

Tambacarnifex unguifalcatus was discovered by Thomas Martens and his father Max in 1995 in the same pocket of fossils from which the first-discovered specimen of the herbivorous basal synapsid Martensius bromackerensis was recovered. Because numerous fossil animals were jumbled together, Thomas and Max weren’t able to collect individual specimens from the bone pocket using our standard technique of surrounding a specimen in a plaster and burlap jacket. Instead, they collected all the individual pieces of rock that contained bone or at least appeared to contain bone, as most rock pieces were coated in goopy mud. Thomas cleaned the rock pieces with water to reveal the bone, and then pieced together the various specimens.

He eventually sent us the specimen that became the holotype of Tambacarnifex, along with pieces that he thought might go with it. Dave and I spent hours piecing together the remainder of the skeleton, and we searched the collections at the Museum der Natur, Gotha for missing pieces in subsequent field seasons. The majority of the specimen was recovered, but the skull, a few vertebrae, and distal finger and toe bones are missing. A rock piece with the greater portion of a lower jaw with teeth was also collected from the bone pocket, though it couldn’t be associated with the skeleton and may represent a second individual. A lot of bone was lost from the specimen, but impressions of missing bone were preserved, which proved useful for identifying wrist and ankle bones, among others. Dave used a white pencil to color in the bone impressions so they would stand out for study and in photographs of the specimen. Ultimately, we realized that Martensius and Tambacarnifex were preserved one on top of the other, though separated by several inches of rock.

The lower jaw piece of Tambacarnifex unguifalcatus. Photograph by Dave Berman, 2008.

The teeth of Tambacarnifex preserved in the lower jaw are strongly recurved and flattened side-to-side, which, along with other features preserved in the skeleton, indicate it is a member of the basal synapsid group (family) Varanopidae and in the subfamily Varanopinae. The Varanopidae have been likened to the actively predaceous modern monitor lizards in the family Varanidae, hence the similar name. Varanopids were the most diverse and longest-surviving basal synapsids, being known from the Late Carboniferous–Middle Permian (~309–260 million years ago) of North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. With their sharp, recurved teeth and a gracile skeleton, scientists think varanopids were agile predators, at least compared to other animals of their time. They range from about 12–78 inches in length, with the smallest ones probably being insectivorous and the larger ones carnivorous. Tambacarnifex has an estimated body size of about 35 inches, and as a medium-sized varanopid with gracile limbs it would have been an agile carnivore, preying on on any of the Bromacker vertebrates that it could catch.

An articulated but incompletely preserved series of 11 vertebrae of Tambacarnifex unguifalcatus. Notice that the neural spines are low and subrectangular, so it is unlikely that they supported a sail, as occurs in some other basal synapsids such as Dimetrodon teutonis. The front of the animal is to the left. Photo by Dave Berman, 2008.

Unlike Dimetrodon teutonis, the other apex predator at the Bromacker, Tambacarnifex has broad, low neural spines that alternate in height. It differs from other varanopines in the shape and anterior inclination of its neural spines and in having greatly elongated and recurved bony claw supports in its hands and feet. The generic name Tambacarnifex was coined in reference to its position in the food chain: “Tamba,” for the Tambach Basin, which the holotype inhabited, and the Latin “carnifex,” meaning executioner, for its role as an apex predator. “Unguifalcatus” was derived from the Latin “unguis,” nail or claw, and “falcatus,” meaning sickle-shaped, in reference to the long, strongly recurved bony claw supports.

Incomplete front (left) and hind (right) feet of Tambacarnifex unguifalcatus. Notice the extremely long bony claw supports preserved on the first, third, and fourth fingers of the front foot and the fourth toe of the hind foot. I–V refer to finger and toe numbers. Photos by Dave Berman, 2008.

Illustration of Tambacarnifex unguifalcatus consuming a Dimetrodon teutonis carcass. Outline drawing by Matt Celeskey, colored (with permission) by Carnegie Museum of Natural History Vertebrate Paleontology Scientific Illustrator Andrew McAfee.

Stay tuned for the final post of this series, which will summarize what we’ve learned about the Bromacker. Click here if you would like to download your own copy of the outline drawing of Tambacarnifex consuming Dimetrodon to color in. The paper describing Tambacarnifex unguifalcatus can be viewed by clicking here.

Amy Henrici is Collection Manager in the Section of Vertebrate Paleontology at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Museum employees are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences and knowledge gained from working at the museum.

“Quaran-Teened”: Closed Spaces, Open Minds

We are living in a time of drastic changes, uncertain futures, and confounding boundaries. The pandemic shook our core values by keeping everyone physically separated. Here at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, educators had to think outside-the-box for ways to keep staff connected and our audiences engaged. Creating virtual programs was no small feat, but a special group of young people embraced the changes.

A handful of museum educators with responsibility for summer camp programs pressed onward with a group of returning teen volunteers, including some who have been volunteering with CMNH for a several years. Creating virtual programs was no small feat as Online Museum sessions replaced in person camps. Our teens embraced the changes and helped participants feel comfortable in this new normal by providing positive energy and continual encouragement. As part of their transformation from classroom helpers to virtual instruction assistants, several teen volunteers developed insightful, natural history-related literature in the form of blog posts. The Museum is proud to introduce these keyboard warriors, our very first cohort of teenage volunteer bloggers. You may have already read some of these blogs, and there are more to come! Meet just a few of these promising young writers:

Claire Ianachione: Hi, my name is Claire Ianachione, and I am excited to be writing blogs for the museum. I love learning new things about history and sharing them with other people. I cannot wait to start sharing blogs and I hope people enjoy reading them.

Samhita Vasudevan: My name is Samhita Vasudevan, and I’m super excited to write blogs for the museum! In my free time, I enjoy baking, going on runs, listening to music, and watching movies. My favorite exhibits at the museum are the Hillman Hall of Minerals & Gems and the Art of the Diorama.

Caroline Lee: My name is Caroline Lee and I’ve been involved with Powdermill since I was 10. When I heard of this great opportunity to write blogs for the museum, I was very excited to start because while I love PNR and Carnegie Museums, I also love writing! In my free time I am a musician in my school marching band, and a member of the “Science Matters” club!

Niko Borish: A longtime admirer of natural science, I attended summer camp at Powdermill Nature Reserve several times before becoming a volunteer there. Though primarily interested in herpetofauna, I enjoy investigating all aspects of the natural world whenever I can. Currently a junior in high school, I plan to study environmental science in college.

Angela Wu: Most of my passions can be summarized by “I love to create.” I’m interested in software development and its many applications in a variety of fields, but I also create writings, drawings, paintings, and music (albeit not very well). In my spare time, I enjoy reading, writing, and eating Ramen.

Xavier Ramirez: I am a sophomore in high school. I enjoy acting, music, and STEM. Currently, I keep myself busy with writing and long games of Risk.

Teen volunteers are an integral part of making summer camp a meaningful experience for campers. While 2020 brought about some difficult challenges that radically changed the summer camp experience, we want to extend a big thank you to all of our teen volunteers who helped the program!

Sara Klingensmith is an Environmental Educator & Naturalist at Powdermill Nature Reserve and Brandon Lyle is a Museum Educator at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Museum employees are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences and knowledge gained from working at the museum.

Oh deer, that’s a lot of parasites!

by Andrea Kautz

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Pork, Peppermint, and Prosperity

The Peppermint Pig

Pork and Sauerkraut

Glücksschwein (the Good Luck Pig)

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