Dinosaur eggs! These fossilized eggs are part of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s hidden collection in the Section of Vertebrate Paleontology.
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Comparing Pictures to Mounts
Each week, staff at Powdermill Nature Reserve staff posts stunning,
high-resolution photos of birds that land in their nets on their Facebook page.
The photos show detailed characteristics of local birds, like the
subtle coloring of a Common Yellowthroat or the sharp beak of a Pine
Siskin, that are hard to see as they fly above.
Powdermill is Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s environmental
research center in Rector Pa, where thousands of birds are identified, banded,
and released each year. As they band, research staffers often snap pictures
that highlight the huge variety of different birds flying through Western
Pennsylvania’s skies.
One favorite is the Ruby-throated hummingbird, which has
iridescent, fuchsia feathers on its neck that abut a dark green heads and long
black beak.
Comparing the Powdermill pictures to Bird Hall in the museum
is an interesting exercise. For example, Powdermill’s high resolution pictures let
you appreciate each and every line of the hummingbird’s bright feathers. But in
the museum, to see a taxidermy mount of a ruby throated humming bird
helps you grasp the miniscule size of these little birds that don’t often grow
larger than 3.5 inches.
Powdermill’s pictures and Bird Halls specimens work
in tandem to encourage us to pause and consider tiny players in our huge
local ecosystem, helping us all foster a little more appreciation for the
natural world.
Discovery with Museum Loan Kits
by Patrick McShea
The first grade teacher who provided this picture didn’t realize how much it revealed about her skill in conveying scientific principles. She was more concerned about finding answers for her students’ pressing questions.
The photo and an attached note accompanied a box of preserved insect materials returned to the museum’s loan program one early November day. “A little girl found the ‘creature’ in this picture! She put it in a container and in three days it spun a hard black cocoon, also about four inches long. WHAT IS IT??? And what will
come out of the cocoon???”
Answers were quickly supplied. The mysterious creature was a caterpillar known as a hickory horned devil, the larval stage of the moth bearing the scientific name Citheronia regalis, and the common names regal moth and royal walnut moth. The caterpillars are harmless to touch, but as noted in the USDA Forest Service
publication, Caterpillars of Eastern Forests, hickory horned devils are the “largest and most formidable appearing eastern forest insect.”
The teacher’s next loan of museum materials included preserved specimens of regal moths (above), and a note praising the use of a ruler as a scale bar in the caterpillar photo. First grade is not too early to learn the importance of making objective measurements when sharing first hand observations, even when the subject is a frightening looking caterpillar.
Pittsburgh teachers looking to learn more about our loan program can visit our website. Schools can have unlimited access to the museum’s loan collection for $200 a year.
Patrick McShea works in the Education and Visitor Experience department of Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Museum employees are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences and knowledge gained from working at the museum.
CUSP Exhibits on display at Pitt
by Laurie Giarratani
How will you use science, technology, and community to improve lives and shape the future? Join the Climate and Urban Systems Partnership (CUSP), along with innovators from across the country, to test ideas with hands-on experiments and demonstrations in the exhibit hall of the White House Frontiers conference – open to the public from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 13 at Alumni Hall at the University of Pittsburgh.
CUSP is a national project, funded by the National Science Foundation, coordinated locally by Carnegie Museum of Natural History, that aims at changing climate conversations in urban settings. More info about CUSP at http://www.cuspproject.org.
Laurie Giarratani is the Director of Education at Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
Specimens from the Surdick collection
Specimens from the Surdick collection on display near our Grand Staircase.
5 Surprising Conservation Facts
by Kathleen Bodenlos
Gretchen Anderson is a conservator at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. She is restoring a panda diorama that will be prominently placed in our newly renovated gift shop. (Stay tuned for more on the gift shop in the next few weeks).
Here are 5 surprising things about conservation of a diorama.
1. Less is more: Use as few chemicals as possible
- Soot sponges, water, and vacuums are the top
choices in lieu of harsh chemicals. Water is one of the most powerful solvents! - Gretchen begins with a fan brush and a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air filter) vacuum to remove as much dust and arsenic traces as possible.
- She is wearing a protective face mask and gloves to protect herself from any arsenic that might be stirred up.
- Soot sponges are a rubber sponge designed to absorb soot and are used dry. Another handy tool is a makeup sponge. A make-up sponge is used when just a little tiny bit of water is needed to move the dirt.
- Particulate dust (dust, dirt and soot) is extremely damaging to museum collections. It is best to remove it.
2. Some conservationists also do a little restoration on paint
- When in doubt go lighter to match a color
- Think impressionism and mottle with several colors if possible. A good example is the natural colors on a rock.
3. Move ‘em up and head ’em out—RAWHIDE!
- For many older dioramas, the skin of the animal is literally a raw hide. They are often treated with arsenic to keep the hide from becoming infested with insects and being eaten/damaged
- Mercury, and other pesticides were also used to prevent insect attack on some museum collections.
- A sealed exhibit case helps to keep the diorama safe from damage. Dust and insects are kept out. If there are any pesticides inside the case these are kept in – protecting the public.
- Plant material
· Not all of it is fake. Some of the actual plant materials are painted to make them look alive
· Even a non-expert can discern what is fake and what is real upon close examination - Save money—use less
· When washing clothes the soap is to keep dirt from settling back on clothes
· Agitation and water are the real cleaner
· Use 1/3 less soap and your clothes will be clean
and you will ensure that all the soap is removed which will help protect your
skin
Kathleen Bodenlos is the Director of Marketing at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Museum employees are encouraged to write about their unique experiences.
