Classification: Arthropods

Mini Insects and Spiders (Mini Animals Collection by CollectA)

Name(s): Aglais, Aglais urticae, Allomyrina, Allomyrina dichotoma, Androctonus, Androctonus australis, Bombus, Brachypelma, Brachypelma smithi, Coccinella, Coccinella septempunctata, Cordulegaster, Cordulegaster boltonii, European stag beetle, Golden-ringed dragonfly, Japanese rhinoceros beetle, Latrodectus, Latrodectus mactans, Lucanus, Lucanus cervus, Mantis, Mantis religiosa, Melanoplus, Mexican red-knee tarantula, praying mantis, Scolopendra, seven-spotted lady beetle, small tortoiseshell butterfly, southern black widow, yellow fattail scorpion Brand: CollectA Classification: Arachnids, Arthropods, Bees, Ants & Wasps, Beetles, Butterflies & Moths, Centipedes & Millipedes, Dragonflies & Damselflies, Insects, Orthopteroids, Scorpions, Spiders Type: Figurine, Set Range: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America

4 (2 votes)

Ever since CollectA started releasing collections of mini dinosaurs based on their larger and standard-size dinosaurs, I knew that if they ever released a set of mini arthropods, it would represent miniature versions of their Insects and Spiders Collection. I was correct. I was not expecting it 2020, but at least I had figured out their plan.

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Mexican Red-knee Tarantula (Wild Life by Schleich)

Name(s): Brachypelma, Brachypelma smithi, Mexican red-knee tarantula Brand: Schleich Classification: Arachnids, Arthropods, Spiders Type: Figurine Range: North America

5 (2 votes)

Walkaround of the Mexican red-knee tarantula, Brachypelma smithi (P-Cambridge, 1897) by Schleich, released in 2019. I am going to start with a little taxonomic disclaimer. There is confusion to the identity of spiders referred to as Mexican red-knees, since the description of a cryptic sibling species, B. hamorii Cleton and Verdez, 1997.

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Ladybug, pair (Large Insects & Spiders by Bullyland)

Name(s): Coccinella, Coccinella septempunctata, seven-spotted lady beetle Brand: Bullyland Classification: Arthropods, Beetles, Insects Type: Figurine Range: Asia, Europe, North America

3 (4 votes)

Transferring over one of my walkarounds of Bullyland’s insects and arachnids, today we look at the lady bug, or more precisely the seven-spotted lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata Linnaeus, 1758. There are two figures, one with the elytra closed and one with the elytra partially open, revealing the flying wings; both figures were released in 1994.

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Red-streaked Box Crab (Dango Mushi 06 by Bandai)

Name(s): Calappa, Calappa lophos, red-streaked box crab Brand: Bandai/Bandai Spirits, Dango Mushi Classification: Arthropods, Crustaceans Type: Figurine Range: Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean

5 (3 votes)

Calappa lophos, commonly known as the red-streaked box crab or the common box crab, is a species of box crab (Calappidae) endemic to the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean, including Andaman Sea and the waters around Taiwan, Japan, and Australia. For years, this species has been widely ignored by most manufacturers, with only three examples by Kaiyodo in 2003 (Kurosio Komekko), 2013 (Capsule Q Museum), and 2018 (Aquatales).

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Exotic Beetles (Play Visions)

Name(s): Chrysochroa, Eupholus, Goliathus, Goliathus regius, Jumnos, Jumnos ruckeri, Macrodontia, Macrodontia cervicornis, Micrencaustes, Micrencaustes lunulata, Nicrophorus, Rosenbergia, Rosenbergia straussi, royal Goliath beetle Brand: Play Visions Classification: Arthropods, Beetles, Insects Type: Figurine, Set Range: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America

5 (3 votes)

This is a review of the set Exotic Beetles, released by Play Visions in 1998. This is was one many small theme-based sets released by Play Visions in the mid-to-late 1990s, and one of 6 that were arthropod-centric. Today Play Visions figures are among the most sought-after by collectors! This review today is a glorified version of one of my forum walkarounds, but I wanted to introduce Play Visions to the Blog.

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Chinese Mantis (Living Things Series by Fujimi Mokei)

Name(s): Chinese mantis, Japanese giant mantis, Tenodera, Tenodera aridifolia, Tenodera sinensis Brand: Fujimi Mokei Classification: Arthropods, Insects, Orthopteroids Type: Figurine, Kit

5 (2 votes)

Review and images by Isurus; edited by bmathison1972

This figure today is “Living Thing Series No. 23 Chinese Mantis” from Fujimi Mokei. This figure is marketed as the Japanese giant mantis, Tenodera aridifolia, but was painted as the Chinese mantis, T. sinensis, since the species occurs here in Korea.

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Life Cycle of a Praying Mantis (Insect Lore)

Name(s): Mantis, Mantis religiosa, praying mantis Brand: Insect Lore Classification: Arthropods, Insects, Orthopteroids Type: Baby Animal, Figurine, Life Cycles Range: Asia, Europe

3.7 (3 votes)

Insect Lore is a company that primarily makes products for the observation and study of living insects (nets, rearing containers, magnifying glasses, ant farms, etc.). In the 2000s, they made life cycle sets of select insects. These were really nice sets that featured original sculpts, including a couple rarely-made species (mealworm beetle, American painted lady).

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Great Lakes TOOB (Safari Ltd.)

Name(s): Acipenser, Acipenser fulvescens, Ardea, Ardea herodias, Branta, Branta canadensis, Canada goose, Canada Lynx, common mudpuppy, Great blue heron, Herring gull, Hine's Emerald Dragonfly, Lake Erie water snake, Lake sturgeon, Larus, Larus smithsonianus, Little brown bat, Lynx, Lynx canadensis, Myotis, Myotis lucifungus, Necturus, Necturus maculosus, Nerodia, Nerodia sipedon insularum, Northern water snake, Perca, Perca flavescens, Somatochlora, Somatochlora hineana, Yellow perch Brand: Safari Ltd. Classification: Amphibians, Arthropods, Bats, Birds, Carnivorans, Cats, Dragonflies & Damselflies, Fish, Insects, Mammals, Newts & Salamanders, Pelicans, Herons & Kins, Perches & darters, Reptiles, Seabirds & Shorebirds, Snakes, Sturgeon & paddlefish, Waterfowl Type: Figurine, Set Range: North America

5 (5 votes)

Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. Those are the names of the Great Lakes of North America that boarder the central/east United States and Canada. In total area they represent the largest freshwater lakes on Earth, holding roughly 20% of the world’s surface freshwater and 9/10ths of the water supply for the United States.

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Japanese Firefly (Natural Monuments of Japan by Kaiyodo)

Name(s): Japanese firefly, Luciola, Nipponluciola cruciata Brand: Kaiyodo, Natural Monuments of Japan Classification: Arthropods, Beetles, Insects Type: Figurine Range: Asia

5 (2 votes)

This is a modified version of the walk-around I did for the Animal Toy Forum.

Walk-around of what is probably my favorite figure, the Japanese firefly (also known as genji-botaru), Luciola cruciata Motschulsky, 1854 by Kaiyodo, No. 45 in the Natural Monuments of Japan line. The species has been made a couple times, including previously by Kaiyodo for their Choco Q Animatales line.

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Dust Mite (Wolff Marketing Group, Inc.)

Name(s): Dermatophagoides, dust mite Brand: Uncategorised Classification: Arachnids, Arthropods, Ticks & Mites Type: Figurine, Medical & Veterinary Range: Cosmopolitan

5 (1 votes)

Today I am reviewing a rather unusual figure. It is a model of a dust mite sold in a snow globe-type display! The figure was produced by Wolff Marketing Group, Inc. for the allergy medication Zyrtec (which was first manufactured by Pfizer but is now sold by by Johnson & Johnson – I am not sure how old the figure is, so I am not sure which company this figure was produced for).

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Dubia Roach (Micky Maus by Egmont Ehapa Publishing Company)

Name(s): Blaptica, Blaptica dubia, Dubia cockroach Brand: Uncategorised Classification: Arthropods, Insects, Orthopteroids Type: Figurine, Publishing premium Range: North America, South America

5 (2 votes)

Micky Maus is a biweekly comic book series featuring Disney characters. It is published in Germany by the Egmont Ehapa Publishing Company. Some (all?) issues come with a toy of sorts and the February 7, 2020 issue came with large rubber cockroach. I have forum member widukind to thank for securing me a copy and mailing it to me!

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Brazilian Whiteknee Tarantula (Bullyland)

Name(s): Acanthoscurria, Acanthoscurria geniculata, Brazilian whiteknee tarantula Brand: Bullyland Classification: Arachnids, Arthropods, Spiders Type: Figurine Range: South America

4 (4 votes)

Uninspired for what my next post would be, I decided to use a random number generator on the Arachnids sheet of my Excel collection database and landed on the Brazilian whiteknee tarantula (Acanthoscurria geniculata) produced by Bullyland in 2017. As Bullyland continued to fade over recent years, they continued to make really good arachnid figures, including a few that are ‘unique’ in toy/figure form.

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