Sunday Stamps - June 1, 2025
Creepy Crawlies!
That's this week's Sunday Stamps theme and I am thrilled by what I have to offer!
New Zealand
Creepy Crawlies First Day of Issue October 1, 1997
I love the name of this one, the Huhu Beetle. Turns out it's the one that gives us them the fat edible grubs. No thanks.
I have my own cicadas here, in fact Oregon has around 32 types of annual cicadas. Unlike the loud periodic sounds of the Eastern US cicadas, mine produce a buzzing sound. There are two times I find cicadas "Creepy and Crawly." One, when I don't know I'm coming across one and it surprises me; they are big! Two, the time Baby Cat had one in her mouth and ran towards me like it was a kitty present, it loudly buzzing away.
The Puriri Moth is New Zealand's largest with nearly a 6" wingspan. It spends five or six years of its life as a caterpillar in a tree trunk, then just 48 hours as a moth.
I don't mind snails, if they keep their places, however, the Giant Land Snail can be over 4" across. Apparently that isn't all that large as the world's snails go.
There are quite a few types of Veined Slugs in New Zealand, some quite interesting looking.
Now, the Creepiest, Crawliest of this bunch to me is the Giant Wētā. I don't care for oversize insects. One websites reads,
"..There are eleven species of giant wētā, most of which are larger than other wētā, despite the latter also being large by insect standards." I ran across a photo of someone hand-feeding one a large carrot! All but one species is at risk of extinction, which makes me sorry I dislike them!
Just how Giant is the Giant Dragonfly? A body of up to 4" with a wingspan of over 5," with the females slightly larger than the males.
Yes, the Katipo spider is related to the Black Widow. Interestingly, the red marking is on the top of her abdomen rather than the Black Widow's red hour-glass on the bottom.
As destructive as they are, I always find Weevils to be cute! The Flax Weevil is a major pest to flax plants.
This is a Peripatus. They live on moist forest floors, and while they have stubby legs like caterpillars, they don't munch leaves. They capture live prey by shooting jets of sticky fluid.
Next week the theme is Illustrated/Engraved Stamps.
Whoa...so many! And they are all awesome! I like the snail, but I love the cicada. My dog and cat used to bring me cicadas-gifts: I think Loki wanted to feel the vibration in his mouth as they moved their wings trying to escape; both Loki and Nutella used to let them go in the house, but at that point they could not fly, as they were stunned or wet, so I had time to pick them up and "save" them from Loki and Nutella. (I do love the loud sound of the cicadas here in the east.)
ReplyDeleteThis is indeed an exciting find! Yes, cicadas are huge! I feel sorry for the puriri moth, so little time for freedom. And the perpatus is blue! I think insects all seem to be so much larger in the southern hemisphere.
ReplyDeleteThe peripatus is wonderfully weird, and a great colour. Cicadas always remind me of the sound of happy summer holidays.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see the size of a giant snail. This set is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThat's quite the collection. And very creepy/crawly.
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