Friday, October 24th, 2008
On October 21st, 2008, proudly, we began our participation in the environmental education program of El Castillo, where the Butterfly Conservatory is located . This project started six months ago funded by the Office of National Community Development of Costa Rica (DINADECO) and created in cooperation with the development associaction of El Castillo and the Rancho Margot.
During the last two months, the professional team of The Butterfly Conservatory has been preparing the activities program in coordination with Marisol Barquero (Project teacher) to develop within the next six months with the intention to integrate the sustainability objectives of the community and local enterprises.
So far, this project is directed to the elementary school students, the next year (starting on june, 2009) high school students will be part of it. The third year will include a program for parents and citizens of the area.
This stage of the project intends to give to the children a general view of the biodiversity of the area and the importance of natural resources in an area where the tourism and agriculture are the most important economical activities.
Let´s keep in touch.
Jonathan Herrera-Vásquez
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Monday, October 13th, 2008
Butterflies diseases in captivity conditions are a major topic. In Costa Rica, most of the breeders are not paying too much attention to the protocols for the diagnostic of tropical diseases on butterflies. There are no programs for monitoring the specimens raised in captivity or the influence of this ¨domestic¨ individuals on wild populations.
Since Oct, 05th 2008 our laboratory started applying a protocol for the diagnostics of Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (Known as Oe), a protozoan that infects monarchs (Danaus spp.), usually transmitted from females to their offspring when the females scatter spores on the egg chorion and surface of milkweed leaves, the host plant of monarchs and queens, during ovispsition, the process of laying eggs. The spores are then ingested by the larvae. Once in the gut, the spores open and emerging sporozoites penetrate the gut wall and migrate to the hypoderm (the layer of cells that secrete the cuticle), where they undergo two phases of vegetative reproduction. After the caterpillar pupates, O. elektroscirrha starts reproducing sexually. Three days before the adults emerge, developing parasite spores can be seen through the pupal integument. The adult butterflies emerge covered with spores, mostly on their abdomens. Parasites do not continue to replicate on adult butterflies and spores must be eaten by larvae to cause new infections.
The idea is to establish this protocol in our facilities and then implement other techniques to determine diseases affecting captivity populations. We invite to the butterfly farmers of the area to join to this initiative and we encourage to our visitors to learn more about this topic by consulting with our laboratory personnel.
Regards
Biol. Jonathan Herrera
Technical Coordinator
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