At Explorit, a new experiment with animals

Beginning Sunday, Explorit Science Center will be experimenting with a new visiting animals program. It will give visitors the opportunity to learn about and meet Explorit’s collection of animals from around the world. The animals live at Explorit’s Mace Park Branch and spend many of their days at elementary schools, where they’re featured in the science center’s educational programs.

The animals will visit Explorit’s public facility at 2801 Second St. on a rotating schedule:
• First Wednesday and Sunday of the month: Arthropods (cockroaches, millipedes or walking sticks)
• Second Wednesday and Sunday: Reptile (a skink or a snake)
• Third Wednesday and Sunday: Arthropods
• Fourth Wednesday and Sunday: Reptile
• Fifth Wednesday and Sunday (if applicable): Arthropods

Explorit staff members will bring out the animals for half-hour presentations. They’ll focus on the animals’ amazing adaptations as well as their important roles in different ecosystems. Anyone who is curious about what important jobs millipedes have, why some animals are brightly colored or why some cockroaches hiss will enjoy this experience.

Here’s a sample of something you might learn: The Madagascar hissing cockroach has a surprisingly loud hiss that is an intriguing example of how animals can communicate – in this case, to warn of danger, define territories and signal for a mate.

Visitors will also have a chance to gently and safely touch the animals. This experience may help answer questions about the importance of scales and the role of exoskeletons. This will also give guests an idea about what it means to be cold-blooded.

The rotating schedule for animal visits will run through to the end of the current exhibition on March 11. This new exhibition, “From Codes to Crystals: Patterns All Around,” looks at patterns found throughout the world, including some of the patterns found on or created by animals.

One activity in the new exhibition will allow guests to experiment with different flying formations that geese might be able to use on their long migratory routes. By changing the shape of the flying formation and turning on a fan visitors can observe which shapes help geese (and jets) avoid as much air resistance as possible.

Nearby, another exhibit explores the different patterns animals are covered with. Skin, fur, scales and exoskeletons can all be decorated with amazing patterns. These patterns can sometimes help animals hide, look dangerous or look like another animal.

Birds and frogs both have an impressive array of auditory patterns they can create. Another exhibit has some examples of local birdcalls as well as sounds from frogs from around the world.

Last, to learn more about the patterns some arthropods can create, visitors should explore the station on honeycombs and spider webs. Real examples of both of these will be available for close-up inspection. Visitors may also learn more about why bees have chosen to make their hives from compartments shaped like hexagons.

Explorit’s new visiting animal program and the current exhibit are both a great match for anyone who is curious about animals. These programs will help answer some questions about animals as well as pose some new ones. If you’re intrigued, don’t forget, the visiting animal program will begin this Sunday with a visiting arthropod.

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Explorit Science Center is open at its new site, 2801 Second St., Davis. Through March 11, you can visit the exhibition “From Codes to Crystals: Patterns All Around.” Public hours are Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. For more information: www.explorit.org or (530) 756-0191.