Butterflies (Safari LTD - Authentics Collection)

This is a review of the entire set of the Butterfly Authentics Collection by Safari LTD. The set was put out in 1997 and therefore predates both the Collectors Case and TOOB sets.

The figures are made of a smoother, stiffer plastic and the wings (and figure in general) are thicker than the Case and TOOB figures. The detail varies but in some cases the proportions and wing shapes are better than the others made by this company. None of these species are unique to Safari, having all been done at least twice, although in many cases this may have been the first time Safari made them!

The figures all on average have a 65 mm wingspan. As you can probably tell, there are three actual sculpts here, with two different paint jobs each. The undersides are not detailed and all marked 'BUTTERFLY' along with company logo and the year (1997).

On to the figures:

1. green swallowtail, Papilio blumei.
This figure is not marketed at the species level, but I assume it's correct, as it has been made three other times by Safari before, in their Hidden Kingdom Insects line, the previously reviewed Collectors Case series, and the relatively recent Butterflies TOOB.

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2. paper kite (a.k.a. large tree nymph), Idea leuconoe.
This is Safari's first of two versions of this species, the other in the 2001 Collectors case. Neither compare with Yujin's Insects of Japan figure however, although at least this one lacks tails!!!! I also have a figure from the K&M Mini Butterflies Polyvinyl bag set that is probably this species.

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3. tailed jay, Graphium agememnon.
This is another repeated in the 2001 Collectors Case set, although this figure has better proportions. Other members of this genus were done by Yujin (Insects of Japan) and Cadbury (Yowies).

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4. scarlet leafwing, Siderone galanthis (syn. S. nemesis)
This is another repeated in the 2001 Collectors Case set, and again this one has better proportions. I am not aware of this species being made by any other company!

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5. orange-barred sulfur, Phoebis philea
As I mentioned in the review of the Collectors Case set, this species has been done four times by Safari: 1) the figure here, 2) Collectors Case, 3) Hidden Kingdom Insects, and 4) Butterflies TOOB (and I've shown three already on this forum!!!!). I have a 5th by an unknown manufacturer (chinabug).

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6. common morpho, Morpho peleides.
Ah! The same species as in the Collector's Case but without tails!! Safari also did morphos (not attributable to the species level, to my knowledge) in their Smithsonian Insects line, Hidden Kingdom Insects, and as a Good Luck mini. The figure is the Butterflies TOOB is indicated as being M. menelaus.

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I never saw it before :)