Today we are reviewing the smokybrown cockroach, Periplaneta fulginosa, by Kaiyodo for the Sanitary Insect Pest Exhibition from 2015. A year later, Kaiyodo would release a nymph of this same species in the Sticky Tack Insect set (see the third image). Like most anthropophilic species, the smokybrown is native to Asia.
Classification: Insects
Eastern Lubber Grasshopper (Smithsonian Insects by Safari Ltd.)
5 (3 votes)
Review and photos by stargatedalek; edited by bmathison1972
Editor’s note: It gives me pleasure to post the first Blog review by longstanding forum member, stargatedalek. I have a confession to make; I had a sneaky suspicion this would be her first… :-). I actually intentionally have not reviewed it myself because I thought she’d be submitting it!
Orange-barred Sulfur (Hidden Kingdom Insects by Safari Ltd.)
4.3 (3 votes)
A lot of my posts for the Blog to date have been to introduce interesting lines or add some new broad taxa. But, it is time for me to go back to my entomological roots! So today I am reviewing the orange-barred sulfur (Phoebis philea) that was released by Safari Ltd.
Pill Scarab (Dango Mushi 04 by Bandai)
5 (2 votes)
Little is
known about the biology of this subfamily in the Scarabaeoidea beetle group Ceratocanthinae
(Coleoptera: Hybosoridae). A fast part of the known species are pantropical but
a few species are known from the temperate forest regions of North America,
South Africa and the south-eastern Palaearctic zone. Some of the species are
flightless.
Jewel Beetle (Insects of Japan Vol. 1 by Yujin)
5 (2 votes)
The only Jewel beetle, made by Yujin. For the ones new to animal figurine collecting; Yujin is an Japanese company that makes next to other types of toys outstanding animal figurines full of detail and always very realistic. They have produced a vast range of insects, fish and frogs, which I personally regard as one of the best fgurines around.
European Stag Beetle (Little Wonders by CollectA)
4.7 (3 votes)
Editor’s note: Time for brontodocus’ next contribution. This time, it is the European stag beetle, Lucanus cervus, by CollectA for their Insects line (which is now called Little Wonders, as it contains several non-arthropods such as reptiles and amphibians). Below is a copy of the original walkaround, which was posted shortly after the figure was released back in 2015.
Life Cycle of a Mosquito (Safariology by Safari Ltd.)
4.3 (3 votes)
Mosquitoes! They have been referred to as the most medically and economically destructive group of insects, due to their role in the transmission of disease-causing agents. They are responsible for the transmission of the agents of malaria, lymphatic filariasis, dirofilariasis, yellow fever, Chikingunya, dengue, West Nile, and many many others. Yet, they also play a very important role in freshwater ecosystems, as they are an important food source for freshwater invertebrates, fish, and birds.
Hercules Beetle (State of the Art – SO-TA)
5 (2 votes)
Review of one of three Hercules beetles (Dynastes hercules) from the (to me) new Japanese figurine company SO-TA (State of the art). The set of three include three of the same Dynastes hercules sculpts with colour variations of the wingcaps (elytra). There is a version with yellow, blueish gray and black elytra.
Praying Mantis (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.7 (6 votes)
Mantids are iconic insects. Anyone who has grown up looking at or collecting insects is familiar with them. They have interesting morphologies and biologies, especially with their predaceous and often cannibalistic habits. Mantids are not uncommon in toy form; most ‘bin-style’ sets of insects have one. Many of the more-familiar major companies make them too.