This is an overview/review of the entire
Insects Nature Tube by K&M - Wild Republic. Unfortunately I do not know the year it was produced.
None of these figures are original, and these 'sculpts' show up in many generic bin/dollar/drug store sets, as well as other 'tube' sets, such as the original Safari LTD Insects TOOB (which I dont have yet, but from publicity photos, several figures are from the same molds, or copied from the same molds). None of the figures are marked with a species name, company name, or year of production.
There are 12 figures in the set; I will include sizes below. Most are probably not modeled after specific species but I will make some comments as I go.
On to the critters (in no particular order). Measurements are based on body lengths and do not include legs, antennae, cerci, etc:
1. mantid (length 80 mm)
generic
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]2. scorpion (length 55 mm to where tail curves)
Nice to not be monochromatic but....6 legs?!?!?!
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]3. fly (40 mm)
as generic as they come. Love the exaggerated mouthparts suggesting tabanid origins.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]4. centipede (80 mm)
this is certainly the same sculpt as the Safari TOOB figure (the one from that set I do have), but at least Safari's figure is an attempt (paint-wise) of an actual genus/species.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]5. spider (30 mm)
this sculpt shows up often in 'chinabug' sets
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]6. ant (53 mm)
nothing original here
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]7. cricket (40 mm not incl. antennae or cerci)
Most bin-style crickets are various shades of brown. I like the black/gray color scheme--could suggest it represents a
Gryllus species. Antennae are a bit short for a true cricket.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]8. grylloblattid (ice insect) (60 mm not incl. cerci)
These show up rarely in chinabug sets; this is the only time I have seen this sculpt by a major name brand. It is not identified as a grylloblattid, but the morphology suggests that was the inspiration. I have seen them on eBay advertised as earwigs, but the morphology does not support an ID of an earwig.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]9. dragonfly (80 mm wingspan)
perhaps one of the darners in the genus,
Ajax.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]10. swallowtail caterpillar (58 mm)
complete with an extended osmeterium!
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]11. grasshopper (50 mm)
Again, the two colors is a nice touch making it slightly more different from a typical chinabug figure.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]12. cockroach (43 mm)
Not a unique sculpt, but a refreshing color change (even if it is not very realistic).
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