1986 Click Beetle Semiotus Intermedius Print - Durin Bernard Les Insectes Scientific Illustration - Herbst Entomology - 11 x 13 in

This is a gorgeous high quality vintage print with vivid colours taken from a disbound copy of Les Insectes by Bernard Durin. The dimensions are 11 x 13 inches. Visit https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ForestHillArtsHouse?section_id=53836226 for more Insects prints. This narrow, elongated beetle, yellow-orange in color, with the pronotum and elytra marked with longitudinal stripes, is a click beetle (Elateridae). This family, comprising about 8500 species, is found all over the world. The elegant specimen represented here measures approximately 32 mm and lives in South America. The German name Schnellkäfer as well as the English name click beetle are quite apt. In French, it is most commonly called taupin, but it also has other less formal names: wireworm, match, tape-tape, etc. If you hold this beetle in your hand, it will jump into the air while making a sharp clicking noise. The prosternum snaps against the corresponding depression of the mesosternum, producing the click. The posterior process of the prosternum protrudes and fits into matching cavities of the anterior part of the mesothorax. Released by a strong muscular force, these act like a spring once they are clicked back. This mechanism creates a lever effect, and since the point of application of the force is in front of the insect’s center of gravity, it flips and jumps at the same time, producing the characteristic clicking sound. Put simply, the insect, even when lying on its back, can flip onto its feet and leap into the air, escaping danger. This feature allows click beetles to flee, and even if they are flipped onto their back, they can quickly right themselves. Elaterid beetles feed mainly on plant matter, particularly pollen; however, some are predatory. The larvae are often called wireworms and live underground. Some live in the soil and attack roots of cultivated plants. Others develop under bark of felled trees or in rotting stumps, where they feed on insects and larvae living in wood; these are useful species. **Background** The artist Bernard Durin was an artist and illustrator transforming the tiniest creatures into works of art. Born in France in 1940, "Beetles and Other Insects," was published in 1980. It is considered a masterpiece. Durin has captured the intricate patterns, textures, and colours of his subjects with stunning accuracy. He made around 60 portraits of insects, using rare and fascinating specimens entrusted to him by the entomologists of the Museum of Natural History in Paris. Durin’s work combines scientific precision with artistic beauty. This has made them valuable to entomologists and other scientists. Bernard Durin passed away in 1988. His illustrations continue to be admired for their beauty and precision, and they remain a valuable resource for anyone interested in the natural world. **About Your Purchase:** - Your purchase is this ORIGINAL vintage print. No modern reprints, reproductions, or copies. - Please note: This print is sold unmounted. **Condition:** Good. Consistent with age. The reverse has text in German. There is no show-through. **Returns & Shipping** - **Returns:** No-questions-asked within 14 days provided in the same condition as dispatched; buyer pays return shipping. - **Packaging:** All prints are securely packaged in a clear bag with a board-backed envelope, further reinforced with recycled cardboard. - Dispatched via Royal Mail Tracked 24/48 (and Royal Mail Tracked International) with: - UK delivery within 1-3 days - US/EU delivery within 5-12 days - Rest-of-world delivery within 7-21 days