Springfield ma Photos | Springfield Pics | Springfield Info | Springfield ma Images

Io Moth

Io Moth (Automeris io) have returned to the Bill Roston Butterfly House at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park. They were "delivered" by Dr. Chris Barnhart in the form of cocoons, lovingly raised by he and his wife Deb.

Adult moths rapidly emerge from their cocoons over a few minutes. The moths then climb and hang on plants (or in this case, their protective tent) and inflate their wings by pumping hemolymph (i.e. their version of blood) into their vessels, holding them out until they dry over twenty minutes.

These night-flying moths are members of the Saturniidae family, a group with no functioning intestinal tract. The last meal of their life was a leaf as the final instar of their caterpillar existence. After dark the female extends her scent gland, letting her perfume, a pheromone, waft away on the darkened breezes. The male's nightly excursions are all about picking up chicks located by sensing their scent with his large feathery antennae.

Io Moth freshly laid eggs- Chris Barnhart

The eggs are beautiful little clusters of eyeballs, carefully glued to the underside of a wide variety of tree leaves. After emerging and eating the egg shell, the larvae stay clustered throughout their five instars, frequently traveling in a long procession across the tree leaves. They come equipped with bright colors, their early orange turning to bright green. The last instars have a haircut with an attitude- clusters of stinging spines with a venom that will burn the skin after even a light touch.

DON'T TOUCH ME! Florida University

Eventually they will pupate in a cocoon deposited on the forest floor. You can see some of these steps at selected times at the Butterfly House. Being very private, the Io's do not schedule their emergence so you will have to come often to see the event. Just don't pet the hairy caterpillar.

Homer Simpson’s Nuclear Power Plant Job in Jeopardy After Japan Disaster – D’oh

In a real world example of life imitating art, Homer Simpson has got himself into a little hot water these days – as in nuclear hot water.

It seems that Germany, Switzerland and Austria are none too thrilled with Homers clumsy and potentially dangerous antics in his day job at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant.

The countries have joined together to review and pull several episodes of “The Simpsons” that show Homer causing problems at work in a nuclear power plant.

The series has a long history of showing “green glowing blobs” as a result of Homer’s inept work ethic.

In fact, the opening sequence shows Homer dropping a glowing piece of radioactive fuel rod, and one episode shows Homer and two of his friends playing “Toxic Barrel Rolling”.

The worst offender is an episode that shows Homer getting shot by Ned Flanders while in the nuclear control room and falling on the “Destroy Core” button causing a nuclear explosion that destroys Springfield.

And what about the episode showing a singing and dancing radioactive Mr. Burns?

Germany says it is screening every episode to make sure there are no bad references to nuclear health and safety shown on the air.

So far two episodes have already been pulled: Episode 66, “Marge Gets a Job”, featuring scientists Marie and Pierre Curie dying of radiation poisoning; and Episode 346, “On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister”, where jokes about a nuclear meltdown are made.

Executive producer Al Jean says that Homer will be keeping his job at the nuclear plant, and added;

"We have 480 episodes, and if there are a few that they don’t want to air in light of the terrible thing going on in Japan, I completely understand that.”

But where do you draw the line? Maybe countries should screen each episode looking for examples of bullying, irresponsible drinking, adultery, racial intolerance, and other socially unacceptable acts.

And why stop with the Simpsons? What about Jersey Shore, Two and a Half Men, and other wonderful programming?

No, we suggest you see it as it is – comedy, parody, and art. If you make too much of a stink then the government will feel compelled to get involved and then we’re all screwed. All that will be left will be reruns of I Love Lucy and The Lawrence Welk Show.

My take:

At the end of the day I think adults, and most children, know the difference between a real world disaster and a cartoon parody. If you have any doubt, then you should spend less time letting television mold your kids mind - and more time doing it yourself.

Enough said.