For my next instalment of creepy critters for October, I decided to review the castor bean tick (also known in Europe as the sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus) by Germany-based 3B Scientific. I also chose this figure because it’s my forum avatar, and I have never presented it here.
European Robin (Wild Animals by Papo)
5 (5 votes)
Review and images by Lanthanotus; edited by bmathison1972
Probably even the most urban European citizen can instantly recognize the European robin (Erithacus rubecula) by its striking red breast. So it a small wonder it took the toy companies so long to produce a figure of this small bird.
Przewalski’s Horse (Horse Country by CollectA)
4.9 (7 votes)
Since its release in 2013 I’ve been eyeballing the CollectA Przewalski’s horse (pronounced shuh-VAL-skee and also known as the takhi) for my collection, even though I didn’t really collect extant animals at the time. What I was collecting were dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals, and recently extinct animals too. So why the interest in this horse?
Common Otter (Wildlife by CollectA)
4 (10 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
Otters belong to the mustelid family, which also includes weasels and their kin, badgers, skunks, and wolverines. There are currently 13 extant species of otter that all range from semiaquatic to marine in their lifestyles. The Eurasian or common otter (Lutra lutra) is probably the most familiar member of the lot, with a range throughout Europe, much of Asia, and parts of Africa and the Middle East.
European Mouflon (Wildlife by CollectA)
4.8 (9 votes)
Review and images by Suspsy; edited by bmathison1972
Mouflons are wild sheep native to Europe and Western Asia, and are surmised to be the ancestors of all the domestic sheep breeds which have been so valuable to us for millennia. Five subspecies are currently recognized, including the European variety (Ovis gemlini musimon) that will be the subject of this review.
Butterflies of the World Collectors Case (Safari Ltd.)
3.5 (2 votes)
This is a review of the complete Butterflies of the World set as part of Safari LTD’s Collectors Case series. The undersides of the figures are not detailed, so an overall review of the set seemed more valuable then doing reviews for individual figures. This is one of three butterfly sets by Safari.
Praying Mantis (Little Wonders by CollectA)
3.7 (3 votes)
Review and images by Animal Lover; edited by bmathison1972
Hello fellow readers and collectors! I am “Animal Lover”. On the Dinosaur Toy Blog, I write reviews by the name “Prehistory Resurrection” (my old name was “Resurrection of the Dinosaurs”). I wrote about more than 10 reviews for the Dinosaur Toy Blog.
Grey Heron (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.8 (4 votes)
Review and images by Lanthanotus; edited by bmathison1972
If you ever have the chance and time to observe a heron on the hunt, take a moment (or half an hour) to watch this so common and at once so awesome creature. While some groups of animals have incorporated the combination of freezing, glacial movement, and sudden strikes into their hunting techniques, herons have somewhat perfected this strategy.
Harbor Seal, 2000 (Wild Life Arctic & Antarctic by Schleich)
4 (4 votes)
Of all the pinnipeds, none embody ubiquity quite like the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina). This species is also known as the common seal as it’s the most widely distributed species of any seal, sea lion, or walrus. They are found all along the marine coastlines of the Northern hemisphere.
Highland Cattle, Bull (Farm World by Schleich)
4.3 (7 votes)
In his review of a Highland cow our own bmathison1972 professed his love for cattle (Bos taurus) breeds, so it only seems appropriate that I do the same in my own review of the Highland breed. I fortuitously came across this Schleich 2020 Highland bull while shopping at a Tractor Supply Company store and fell right in love with it.
Snail (Wild Animals by Papo)
5 (3 votes)
Today is my birthday and since I am getting older and slower (at least when I run lol), I am reviewing the recent snail by Papo, and thus wrapping up the Papo 2020 invertebrates. First, let’s discuss possible identities for the figure. When it was first announced, most of us assumed it was the Roman snail (also known as the Burgundy or edible snail), Helix pomatia.
Grasshopper (Wild Animals by Papo)
4.5 (2 votes)
Today I am continuing my review of the 2020 Papo invertebrates with their grasshopper figure. First, we should discuss the possible identity of the species. Given the shape (especially head shape), color, and that France-based Papo likes to focus on its local fauna, I am identifying the figure as the common green grasshopper, Omocestus viridulus.