Dragonflies of Vanuatu

The  dragonflies appeared over long time ago and  they have developed into many different sub species. There are more than 5000 species of dragonflies existing in the world today. Now dragonflies have  been included   in the  Vanuatu’s ecosystem as  the  valuable predators that eat mosquitoes, and other small insects like flies, ants and wasps .

Vanuatu Post pleased to launch a set of four stamps and one unique souvenir sheet features the species of Dragonflies which found in Vanuatu on February 22, 2012. The stamp set designed by Sue Wickison from Wellington, New Zealand. The depicted species are Yellow striped Flutterer Rhyothemis Phyllis , Globe Skimmer Pantala flavescens , Fiery Skimmer Orthetrum villosovittatum,  and Painted Grasshawk Neurothemis stigmatizans.

Tiger Moths and Ermines of Alderney

 
 

Alderney Post pleased to present a beautifully stamps, illustrated by renowned international artist Petula Stone,  features six of the distinctive Tiger Moths which can be found in Alderney on July 25, 2012. The issues  are a wonderful edition to the Alderney Invertebrates series which depicts  Garden Tiger Moth (Arctia caja), Cream Spot Tiger Moth (Arctia villica), Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lutea), Ruby Tiger Moth (Phragmatobia fuliginosa), Jersey Tiger Moth (Euplagia quadripunctaria) , and Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae) .

Insects and spiders of Iceland

 

The fifth stamp series of insects and spiders   has issued by Iceland Post on  January 29,2009. The issue consist of two stamps designed by Arnar Snorrason and depict two species are  Moth flies (psychodidae) and Field spider (Gnaphosidae)

Moth flies (Psychodidae) are common around farms and outhouses.  These are strange little flies with a short hairy torso and hairy wings.   At least two species of moth flies can be found in Iceland.

Moth flies (Psychodidae) are small true flies (Diptera) with short, hairy bodies and wings giving them a "furry" moth-like appearance.Adult Psychodidae are typically nocturnal , mostly active at night and prefer wetlands and other moist places.

Hong Kong Butterflies II

On June 14, 2007, Hong Kong Post has issued the stamp set features butterflies which found in their country. The issue comprises of 5 (five)  postage stamps with various of the face value. The depicted butterflies are Faunis eumeus, Prioneris philonome, Polyura nepenthes, Tajuria maculata, and Acraea issoria.

Description of each depicted species can read more in the blog,  “Butterfly Stamps of The World”,  in article of  “Hong Kong Butterflies II”.

A stamp with value   $ 1.40  presents species Faunis eumeus,

A stamp  with value  $ 1.80  presents species Prioneris philonome.

A stamp with value $ 2.40 presents  species Polyura nepenthes

A stamp with value  $ 3.00 presents  species Tajuria maculata

A stamp with value $ 5.00  presents  species Acraea issoria

Hawk moths

On February 23, 2011,  Alderney Post issued  the stamp set comprised of one miniature sheet and six single postage stamp featured Hawk moths or Sphingidae. 17 species of hawks-moth occur in the British Isles and of these a remarkable 14 have been found in Alderney.

Hawk moths are found worldwide. Many of them are spectacular insects and the British ones include the largest moths seen in these islands. They are streamlined and fast flying with most kinds appearing at dusks, hovering over flowers.

Butterflies of Dominica

Banded Orange Heliconian,

Banded Orange Heliconian or Dryadula phaetusa, also known as the Banded Orange Heliconian is a species of butterfly native from Brazil to central Mexico, and in summer it can be found rarely as far north as central Kansas. Its wingspan ranges from 86 to 89 mm, and it is coloured a bright orange with thick black stripes in males, and a duller orange with fuzzier black stripes in females.

It feeds primarily on the nectar of flowers and bird droppings, and its caterpillar feeds on passion vines including Passiflora tetrastylis. It is generally found in lowland tropical fields and valleys. This species is somewhat unpalatable to birds and belongs to the "orange" Batesian mimicry complex.

Gulf Fritillary

The Gulf Fritillary or  Agraulis vanillae, is a striking, bright orange butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, subfamily Heliconiinae. These were formerly classified in a separate family, the Heliconiidae or longwing butterflies, and like other longwings this species does have long, rather narrow wings in comparison with other butterflies. It is not closely related to the true fritillaries. It is a medium to large butterfly, with a wingspan of 6–9.5 cm.Its underwings are buff, with large silvery spots.It takes its name from migrating flights of the butterflies sometimes seen over the Gulf of Mexico.

Papilio Schmeltzii Swallowtail - Fiji

Schmeltzi's Swallowtail, is Fiji's largest butterfly and is one of some 44 species of butterfly that inhabit Fiji.

The caterpillar or larva molt several times as they grow.It was depicted on (85c) value of stamp.They feed on poisonous plants and are toxic themselves and will actually advertise their presence by being brightly colored. Predator recognize these colors and will not touch them.

The pupa stage is when the most dramatic changes happen and metamorphosis is taking place. It is the most vulnerable stage so mimicry is highly developed. Chrysalis will look like an emerging bud or fruit or like a dead leaf. Butterfly support itself by a silk threat that is spun by the larva before it pupates. It will remain in this form for weeks. It is all shown on ($3) value of stamp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

The newly emerged adult butterfly from its chrysalis is called metamorphosis. This process has been depicted on (58c) value of stamp. It will take 20 minute for the wing to unfold and will take up to 1 hour for the wing to be harden before its attempt to fly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The stamp with $1.41 value, depicted adult butterfly that has function to mate and perpetuate the species. Figure on stamp shown butterfly feeding nectar of a flower.

Beetles of Indonesia

Batocera rosenbergi, is a species found in Ruteng, at height of 1,300 ASL. The charateristics is the body size up to 7 cm. They feeds on parts of plant such as leaf, blossom or tree bark.Stamp value is 1,000.

Chalcosoma caucasus, is a very gigantic size up to 10 cm. This is the largest beetle in the world. They live at height at 1,700 m ASL. In nature, they feed on topmost of tree of palmae included coconut and sugar palm. Stamp value is 2,000.

Chrysochroa buqueti, is a species scattered throughout Java Island, and has size up to 5 cm. Stamp value is 1,000.

Agestrata dehaan, is largest member flower beetle group, shaped in pentagonal with diameter more than 2 cm and has beautiful green shine colour. Stamp value is 800.

Mormolyce phyllodes, is species which wide spread throughout Java, Sumatera,and Kalimantan. The body of beetle is covered by widen elytra as guitar shaped. It is brown thick body in size of 5 cm. Stamp value is 900.