FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1991

17

HK TO SET UP INSECT HOUSE

RESIDENTS

INSECTS WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT INSECT HOUSE IN HONG KONG'S FIRST NATURE EDUCATION CENTRE IS THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR LAWRENCE LEE, TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE UP,

WHEN

SET

SAID

HONG KONG

AND

ALSO BECAUSE LOSS OF

ADDRESSING A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF ISLAND, DR LEE SAID THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INSECT HOUSE WOULD PREVENT SOME INSECT SPECIES FROM SINKING INTO OBLIVION JUST THEY

IN NUMBERS OWING TO URBANISATION WERE DECLINING NATURAL HABITATS.

THE LIONS

SAI

KUNG,

SITE IN WILL IT IS

INSECT HOUSE, WHICH STANDS ON A 480-SQUARE-METRE

EDUCATION NATURE THE

CENTRE IN TSIU HANG, COMPRISE AN EXHIBITION HALL, A NET HOUSE AND A GREEN HOUSE. ESTIMATED TO COST ABOUT $2.5 MILLION.

INSECT LIVE

THE "APART FROM

ANNOTATED DISPLAY OF

OF HUNDREDS SPECIMENS CAUGHT LOCALLY, VISITORS WILL BE ABLE TO WATCH CLOSELY SPECIMENS IN A NATURAL ENVIRONMENT INSIDE THE GREEN HOUSE AND THE HOUSE," DR LEE SAII),

"INTERESTED RESIDENTS WILL THEN HAVE A FAIR IDEA OF WHICH BENEFICIAL INSECTS, WHICH ARE INJURIOUS PESTS, WHICH CAN BE USED

HE CONTINUED. MEDICINE AND WHICH ARE OF ECONOMIC VALUE,

APART FROM

MOST INSECTS ARE THE MAN,

SUCCESSFUL ANIMALS ON EARTH AND OVER ONE MILLION SPECIES HAVE BEEN MANY MORE TO BE ADDED, ACCORDING TO DR LER.

NET

ARE

FOR

GROUP NAMED WITH

OF

IN HONG KONG, OVER 2,100 INSECT SPECIES HAVE BEEN

200 SPECIES SOME AMONG THEM ARE SOME 500 SPECIES OF BEETLES, BUTTERFLIES AND NEARLY 100 SPECIES OF MOTHS.

IDENTIFIED.

OF

ADULT

HE ELABORATED ON THE INTERESTING CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME OF THE GREATLY INSECT SPECIES, INCLUDING THE DIVING BEETLE WHOSE NUMBER HAS DECLINED IN RECENT YEARS OWING TO THE LACK OF PADDY FIELDS, THE MAYFLY WHICH HAS ONLY ABOUT ONE DAY'S LIFE, THE APHID WHICH IS PROLIFIC AND SENSITIVE TO LIGHT, THE COMMON CROW BUTTERFLY WHOSE

LARVA LIKES LOOKS LIKE A GOLDEN PEANUT AND THE BANANA SKIPPER WHOSE TO ROLL ITSELF VP IN BANANA LEAVES.

HIGHLY

PUPA

**THE STUDY OF INSETS IS AN IMPORTANT THEME IN NATURE EDUCATION AND KNOWING MORE ABOUT INSECTS IS INSTRUMENTAL TO BETTER PEST CONTROL, CONSERVATION, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

"1 BELIEVE THE INSECT HOUSE WILL MAKE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION DR LEE CONCLUDED. THE PROMOTION OF NATURE EDUCATION IN HONG KONG,

H

ΤΟ

/THE LIONS

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