Review: Animal Planet Head Tube (Toy Major)

This is an overview/review of the complete Animal Planet Animal Head Tube - Insects by Toy Major. Now, I do not completely understand the relationship between AP and TM. I assume AP used TM to produce (or select) figures to put together this tube. I do not know the year of its release, but the figures are marked with '1994', '1997', or '2003' which suggests TM supplied random earlier figures to put this tube together. Some of the figures have other letters on them, suggesting they were originally made for other series. I bought the set sometime after 2008 (don't remember exactly when).

None of the figures are unique, which is not surprising given TM's reputation of doing knock-offs. Honestly, with these generic bin-style figures, it becomes a 'chicken-or-the-egg' scenario as to who made what and when first.

Each figure is marked with a common name, the traditional 'TM' logo, and the year of (original?) production. With each below I will include the size and year. Sizes do not include antennae, legs, or other appendages.

On to the critters (in no particular order):

1. rhinoceros beetle (32 mm; 1997)
This is the smaller version of another generic rhino beetle I have

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2. worker ant (40 mm; 1997)
an interesting color choice for an ant.

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3. queen ant (43 mm; 2003)
another interesting color choice

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4. grasshopper (45 mm; 1997)
a unique color pattern, if not sculpt

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5. spider (35 mm; 1997)
This is also marked with a 'B' and may be a PlayVisions knockoff!

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6. fly (35 mm; 2003)

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7. spider (30 mm; 1997)
this figure is also marked with a 'G' and may also be a PV kockoff!

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8. mantid (50 mm; 1997)

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9. scorpion (55 mm; 1997)
I love the color on this one!

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10. bee (30 mm; 2003)
another smaller version of a larger chinabug I have

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11. ladybug (25 mm; 1994)
an even earlier figure than others in this set!

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12. dragonfly (63 mm wingspan; 2003)
a colorful little one

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Great figurines :)