Blaine's Bug of the Day

[bmathison1972]

Nice!
The  Trilobiti model, what material it is made of?

It's a 3D printed model I believe, so some comparable plastic. It's not super stiff. It's a good material

[bmathison1972]

Revisiting this figure, which is aquarium decor sold by Blue Ribbon Pet Products, and calling it Lissocarcinus orbicularis (Dana, 1852), the sea cucumber crab. For all intents and purposes, this is a generic crab, and a lot of artistic license went into making it (especially with the red tubercles all over the legs), but the carapace structure and color best fits L. orbicularis. I had initially suspected with is something in the genus Porcellana but it really has no features of a porcelain crab.

And, an added bonus for an arthropod specialist, it is sitting on a bunch of barnacles (which alone would make a nice figure)!!!!!

[bmathison1972]

A new species for me, Odontolabis lacordairei (Vollenhoven, 1861). This figure, which to the best of my knowledge is unique, is by Epoch in their Beetle Battle Set 2 (2005).
This is my 13th species of Odontolabis, and my second acquired recently!!!

[bmathison1972]

Another new species for me this week, and another species of Odontolabis, Odontolabis alces (Fabricius, 1775). This is a small, standard figure by Sega.

[AnimalToyForum]

The Hallucigenia are amazing, and the crab is pretty cool, artistic licence notwithstanding.

[bmathison1972]

Thanks Adam!

While I am on a trend of new species, here is another this week, the firefly Pyrocoelia fumosa (Gorham, 1883). This figure is part of a set of five fireflies by a company called N. Ohba. Wow. The set came out in 2005 and I was unaware of it until recently. I was tempted to do a walkaround, but I'd rather try to get the complete set and do a review. There are 5 species in the set, all come on habitat-style bases. The beetles themselves are small; the base on this one is 6.5 cm (the beetle is about 2.0 cm, making it about 2:1).

Big thumbs up to Beetle Guy for selling me this gem

[bmathison1972]

With the addition of this porcelain Old World swallowtail Papilio machaon Linnaeus, 1758 by Enesco, I thought I would revisit this species on Bug of the Day!



A large magnet figurine by Doug Walpus Art Studio, the Enesco figurine, an adult by Bullyland, and larvae by Kaiyodo (Capsule Q Museum) and Shineg (Larvae Moei).

[bmathison1972]

I recently acquired this large Sega figure of Hexarthrius mandbularis (Mizunuma, 1994):



So it allows me to revisit this species. Here are the specimens of H. mandibularis in my collection (represented but now shown again here is the boxed figure by DeAgostini). From left to right, top to bottom:

1. Sega, large standard figure
2. F-toys (World Insect Encyclopedia, Vol. 5)
3. Sega (magnet)
4. Sega
5. Sega (fighting beetles)
6. Sega, small standard
7. Kabaya (World Insect Series 1)
8. ShanTrip

[bmathison1972]

The giant purple barnacle, Megabalanus tintinnabulum (Linnaeus, 1758) (tentative identification is mine) by Ocean Aquaria, a company that makes artificial corals for aquariums (they also have sponges, barnacles, pencil urchins, sea stars, and tunicates; @stemturtle , I think you are interested in some of these taxa?).
My first barnacle figures not part of the original Kitan Club set.

[stemturtle]

The giant purple barnacle, Megabalanus tintinnabulum (Linnaeus, 1758) (tentative identification is mine) by Ocean Aquaria, a company that makes artificial corals for aquariums (they also have sponges, barnacles, pencil urchins, sea stars, and tunicates; @stemturtle , I think you are interested in some of these taxa?)...

Yes, bmathison, when it comes to biodiversity, I am shameless about collecting. Here is a link to a sponge figure posted in a separate thread.

[bmathison1972]

The giant purple barnacle, Megabalanus tintinnabulum (Linnaeus, 1758) (tentative identification is mine) by Ocean Aquaria, a company that makes artificial corals for aquariums (they also have sponges, barnacles, pencil urchins, sea stars, and tunicates; @stemturtle , I think you are interested in some of these taxa?)...

Yes, bmathison, when it comes to biodiversity, I am shameless about collecting. Here is a link to a sponge figure posted in a separate thread.

Very nice. You should check out the sponges and tunicates at Ocean Aquaria. The pencil urchin is nice, too!

[bmathison1972]

Revisiting the Miyama stag beetle, Lucanus maculifemoratus Motschulsky, 1861. It looks like since I last updated Bug of the Day with this species, I have acquired five more figures! This is the most-commonly made species in the genus, due to its popularity in Japanese culture.

First, the boxed figures. Left to right, top to bottom:
1. DeAgostini (World Insect Data Book)
2. Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. (Beetles of the World)
3. Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. (Beetles of the World) - female
4. Bandai (Bugs Museum)



Next, the elevated and dynamic figures. Left to right, back to front:
1. Epoch (Flying Beetles)
2. Kaiyodo (Choco Q Animatales)
3. Kaiyodo (Capsule Q Animatales - Stag Beetles)
4. Epoch (Beetle Battle 1)
5. Yujin (Insects of Japan)



Next a large wind-up toy (something that I normally don't collect) by AMAI (World of Insects Collection):



Next, large figures by T-TARTS and Sabarudo. Left to right, top to bottom:
1. T-TARTS (B.I.G. Insects 2015)
2. Sabarudo
3. T-TARTS (B.I.G. Beetles 2017)
4. T-TARTS (B.I.G. Insects 2016)
5. T-TARTS (B.I.G. Insects 2016)
6. T-TARTS (B.I.G. Insects 2017)



Lastly, random smaller figures. Left to right, top to bottom:
1. Sega (Mushi King)
2. F-Toys (Insect Hunter 2011)
3. unknown manufacturer (Coca Cola premium)
4. Sega
5. Hayakwa Toys (Insects Collection - Special)
6. Kabaya (World Insects - Series 1)
7. Sega
8. Hayakwa Toys (Insects Collection - Special)
9. Sega

[bmathison1972]

I am coming up on one year since I started this thread, and why not celebrate with the first species to reach FIFTY figures! That of course would be the Japanese rhinoceros beetle, Allomyrina dichotoma (Linnaeus, 1771). This species is so prolific in toy form, that I have stopped collecting the annual releases by Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. and F-toys that are rehashes of the same sculpts and have not pursued Sega figures that are too alike ones I already have! It's nearly impossible to have a set or series of Japanese animals/insects and not have this species represented. It's quite popular in Japanese culture, where it goes by the name kabutomushi. My current 51 figures are represented by 20 known manufacturers and a few unknowns.

On to the figures...

First up, the boxed figures. Left to right, top to bottom:
1. DeAgostini (World Insects Data Book)
2. Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. (Beetles of the World) - male
3. Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. (Beetles of the World) - female
4. Bandai (Bugs Museum)
5. unknown Japanese manufacturer



Next are a couple larger plastic models. On the left is by an unknown manufacturer that shows up in blister packs with other vintage insect figures; on the right is by K&M International for their Insects Polybag collection.



Next are the large Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. and Sabarudo figures, as they tend to use the same sculpts. Clockwise from top left:
1. Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. (2005)
2. Sabarudo (2006)
3. Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. (2015)
4. Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. (2017)



These are the more dynamic and flying figures. Left to right, front to back:
1. Sega (Flying Beetles)
2. Epoch (Flying Beetles)
3. Bandai (Figure Pictorial Book of Gakken Insect)
4. Epoch (Beetle Battle 1)



Sega figures. All these figures in this next image are various incarnations by Sega, the most prolific company when it comes to making scarabaeoid beetles! There is another Sega figure in the following image I forgot to include here.



Other Japanese manufacturers. This is a collection of random figures from Japanese companies exclusive of Takara Tomy A.R.T.S., Sabarudo, and most Sega. From left to right, top to bottom:
1. Colorata (Tropical Rain Forest Rhinoceros Beetles)
2. Rement
3. Kaiyodo (Insects Gather to Sap - Night Feast of Midsummer)
4. Kaiyodo (Choco Q Animatales Series 10)
5. Yujin (Insects of Japan Series 1)
6. Access Toys (Rhinoceros Beetles)
7. F-toys (Insect Hunter Beetle and Stag Beetle - 2014)
8. F-toys (Insect Hunter Beetle and Stag Beetle - 2014)
9. F-toys (Insect Hunter Beetle and Stag Beetle - 2011)
10. F-toys (Encyclopedia of Insects Vol. 1 - 2007) - female
11. Kitan Club - Nature Techni Colour (Nature of Japan Vol. 2)
12. Maruka (Strongest Beetle Legend)
13. Sega (Mushi King)
14. Kabaya (Insect Directory)
15. unknown manufacturer [Coca Cola premium]
16. Kabaya (World Insect Series 1)
17. Hayakwa Toys (Insects Collection - Special)
18. Hayakwa Toys (Insects Collection - Special)
19. Hayakwa Toys (Insects Collection - Special) - female



Miscellaneous. These are random figures, many from unknown makers. Left to right, top to bottom:
1. CollectA
2. unknown manufacturer [from a dollar store blister pack]
3. MTC Trading Company (Creature Collection)
4. unknown manufacturer [rubberyfigure from a toy store in the Czech Republic] -my FIRST insect figure that started this hobby!
5. Club Earth (Backyard Bugs)
6. unknown [dollhouse decor]

[Beetle guy]

OMG!! 

[bmathison1972]

Revisiting the Indian oakleaf butterfly, Kallima inachus (Doyere, 1840). The figure on the left is by Safari LTD (Wild Wraps); the one on the right is by Kabaya (Insect Directory). For the longest time I considered the Kabaya figure 'unique' until I recently stumbled upon the Safari figure (which came out in 1997!) on eBay!

[bmathison1972]

A recent new species for me, the purple shore crab, Hemigrapsus nudus (Dana, 1851). This figure is by Safari LTD as part of their Wild Wraps collection (1997). The front legs (pincers) are longer than what you'd find in nature, but the exaggeration was required to make the figure bendable and fulfill the 'wrap' part of this particular line. As far as I know, this figure, which came out in 1997, remains a unique species.

[bmathison1972]

A new species for me, the Goliath beetle Goliathus cacicus (Olivier, 1789) by K&M International from their Animal Record Breakers Tube set. Wow, this figure has been a Holy Grail for a while for me now and I did not think I'd ever come across one. For those of you not familiar with it, the Animal Record Breakers Tube is one of the rarest and most sought-after tube sets by K&M International. What's funny is I bought this beetle in a lot of 10 other generic toy insects on eBay....for $6 USD!!!! This beetle alone could have gone for $20-50 USD possibly. My guess is a parent was consolidating he/her kid's toys and just batched a bunch of insects together without realizing what it was.



There are 5, give or take, depending on what classification scheme you follow, valid species of Goliathus. Four have been made into toy/figure form:

Left to right, top to bottom:

G. orientalis by DeAgostini - World Insect Data Book'
G. cacicus by K&M International - Animal Record Breakers Tube
G. regius by Play Visions - Exotic Beetles
G. goliathus by Furuta - Choco Egg Funny Animal Series

[stargatedalek]

That DeAgostini Goliathus is simply spectacular, haven't managed to catch one yet myself but that whole line is simply beautiful (this one in particular!).

Congrats on finding that K&M beetle, of all the tubes they still make it's a shame that one got discontinued so quickly.

[bmathison1972]

That DeAgostini Goliathus is simply spectacular, haven't managed to catch one yet myself but that whole line is simply beautiful (this one in particular!).

Congrats on finding that K&M beetle, of all the tubes they still make it's a shame that one got discontinued so quickly.

unfortunately most of the tubes from that era are discontinued. I still need the arthropods from the American Garden Tube, another rare one (rarer than the also rare European Garden Tube lol)

[bmathison1972]

Another new species, the giant amoeba Chaos carolinense (Wilson, 1900) by WizKids, HorrorClix: The Lab! This was actually intended to be a monster for a pokemon-like card game, but once you remove the embedded person (mine popped right out, I didn't have to cut mine out) it makes a nice replica of this large protozoan. Got the idea from @stemturtle !!!!