The controversy about whether famous dinosaurs had feathers has been raging for a while now. We’ve known that some dinosaurs had feathers ever since Archaeopteryx was discovered in 1861, but more recent discoveries of the presence of feather-like structures on larger dinosaurs ( like Lane the Triceratops here at HMNS) that are more distantly related to […]
A perfect example of a fascinating object that most visitors to HMNS don’t see, this ceramic figure of Huehueteotl is of Classic Veracruz origin. The Classic Veracruz Culture existed from roughly 100-1000 AD and is largely unknown to the general public because it is overshadowed by contemporaneous cultures like that of Teotihuacan and later the […]
People come from all over the world to see our Morian Hall of Paleontology, but most of them are so excited to see the dinosaurs that they pass right by the fossils at the entrance to the hall. Those amorphous blocks, seemingly insignificant, are our collection of stromatolites. Stromatolites are columnar structures created by […]
The crazy thing about our Hall of Ancient Egypt is that every object has an amazing story behind it and there’s just so much to see that it’s easy to overlook some pretty fascinating pieces. Part of the mission of the Beyond Bones blog is to bring the little things to the big public. Here, […]
Mixers & Elixirs It’s time to mix it up! Mixers and Elixirs is back for the summer with live music, food trucks, cash bars and intelligent nighlife with a twist. Fridays from 7-10 p.m. June23 – Mango Punch July 21 – Electric Circus August 11 – Grupo Kache […]
By Jerry Offner, Associate Curator for Northern Mesoamerica Houston Museum of Natural science The Houston Museum of Natural Science and La Bibliothèque nationale de France have been cooperating in a new and unique scientific endeavor: special imaging of two Aztec Codex documents from before the Spanish conquest. Part one of this article will discuss the imaging […]
With a membership level for everyone; Don't just read about it, see it.
View All Membership LevelsOlive – a Giant Long-Legged Katydid from Malaysia – was with us for only a few days, however, she left us with a precious gift; her eggs! Now, will those eggs hatch? We’re keeping our fingers crossed over here that we’ll soon be seeing some cute little katydid babies! This insect has quickly become my […]
Have you ever seen a piece of art or craft that you think to yourself “I could do that!” but of course you never act on it? Well, some people do act on that impulse and I’m going to show you how to do just that. Every now and then I get a phone call from […]
5555 Hermann Park Dr.
Houston,Texas 77030
(713) 639-4629
13016 University Blvd.
Sugar Land, Texas 77479
(281) 313-2277
21901 FM 762 Rd.
Needville, Texas 77461
(281) 242-3055
| Hours | |
| Tuesday - Saturday | By Reservation |
| Saturdays | 3:00PM - 10:00PM |
| Saturdays (DST) | 3:00PM - 11:00PM |
| DST = Daylight Savings Time. Please call for holiday hours. Entry to Brazos Bend State Park ends at 9:30 p.m. daily |
|
Latest Comments
Bobbie · June 22, 2017, 6:27 pm
Can animals get sick by having these around the house outside my dog and cat have been throwing up and I have found quite a few of them and kill them thank you
Mary de Stefano · June 22, 2017, 4:51 am
Wow, this was a really interesting email. I do so love the Houston Museum of Natural Science. It is always the high point of my visits with my son, Stefano de Stefano, when I am in Houston to help care for 4.5 year old grandson, Luca. Luca loves the dinosaurs, the various movies in the planetarium, and more recently he really appreciated the Gladiators. We are currently in Italy where we just toured the Egyptian Museum in Torino and he found the hieroglyphs fascinating. He has watched the chronograph for prolonged periods and if it is no longer there when we return we will both be very sad.
Pat weiman · June 19, 2017, 1:46 pm
I viewed your videos and your directions are clear and easy to follow. I thought this process was much more complicated, so thank you. In your video you mentioned that your department has frozen butterflies that can be purchased and I would love to have information on how to buy butterflies for mounting.
Bonnie Towles · June 15, 2017, 1:05 pm
Erin: Sorry to keep questioning you but I would appreciate knowing: 1. What is the average age of LGH's? Is if different for males vs. females? Does that change if they are caged? 2. How soon after mating does the female lay eggs? 3. How many eggs does the female lay? 4. Is there a way to treat the soil where the eggs were laid to keep them from hatching, or should the soil be dug up and discarded? 5. Does mating always result in eggs being layed by the female? 4. How soon after laying eggs does the female die? 5. How long after mating does the male die? 6. Do males and females that have not mated live longer or shorter lives? 7. Do males mate more than one female if females are available? 8. Can/will a male mate with a female that has already mated with another male? If so, how does that effect the timing of her egg laying and the number of eggs? 9. Can you provide links to any indepth informatioin about LGH's? Thank you for any help / information you can provide.
Bonnie Towles · June 11, 2017, 1:08 am
Erin ...thank you for your response. Since those few early, traumatic deaths, there have been no others like that... so it's very mystifying. Hopefully I won't need to euthanize any via freezing, but it is good to know that a relatively humane method exists. .Since Jun 9th or so they have been mating very actively. So far, I've observed only one attempting to create a cavity in which to lay eggs. I've found only three dead mature grasshoppers. All were very large and, apparently, female. Thankfully, I have witnessed no prolonged deaths like the ones I described in my earlier email. All of the original 350+ or so caged grasshoppers have completed their transformation to their mature form, but I recently found 3 grasshoppers in my yard that were still in the nymph stage . I was surprised at their appearance this late in the season. Other foods that they appear to like: potatoes (cooked or raw), tomatoes, watermelon rind, cucumbers Foods they don't like: cabbage, iceburg lettuce. I am trying to design a cage for use next year that would make cleaning the cage easier, and allow for easy access. They appear to like sun and hang on the sides of the cage (screens) or the various branches I provide. Does the museum provide any plans/suggestions for a cage design?
Pat Kerrigan · June 8, 2017, 7:01 am
We could not figure out why our caterpillars were disappearing. We have lost them all. What a great article. I only wish I had read it sooner and perhaps saved a caterpillar or two We are wondering if we could have one or two protected bushes and when we see a caterpillar move it to the protected bush.
Smile R. · June 7, 2017, 8:30 pm
Cool!
Eric · June 5, 2017, 7:12 pm
Beautiful! Can't wait to see it in person. Thanks for the article!
Diana · June 3, 2017, 2:34 am
Where do you get a shadow box?
Virginia Camerlo · June 1, 2017, 7:38 am
I LOVE this blog and go to it time and time again for reference! Sadly, the vespid wasps have been very active predators in our school garden this spring. It's great to be able to explain to our students why the caterpillars are present one day and gone the next...THANK YOU!