1986 Frog-Legged Leaf Beetle Sagra Femorata Print - Durin Bernard Les Insectes Scientific Illustration - Drury 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. Anyone unfamiliar with the beetles of the Northern Hemisphere would likely struggle to accept that this is a chrysomelid. They might instead think it's a giant weevil, because without a doubt, weevils and this beetle share, over the course of evolution, a common ancestor—some curious insect that, like them, was shaped by the habits of larvae living inside plant stems. Our insect belongs to a very particular subfamily, that of the sagrinae. The genus Sagra, the most numerous and well-known, gave its name to this subfamily. This genus consists of more than fifty species, all of which are quite large, all brilliantly colored, and have strongly enlarged hind femora that are not used for jumping but are toothed like saws. Around fifty species, or more, belong to this genus, and are found in Africa, Madagascar, India, China, and as far as the islands of Southeast Asia. This distribution is another example of the constant presence of common elements in the oriental and African faunal regions, despite the great distance between them. Sagra femorata gives its name to the femora beetles, which are 10 to 17 mm long. It is found in southern China, India, as far west as Pakistan, in Sri Lanka, the Andaman Islands, and the Sunda Islands. These beetles feed on leaves and fruits and sometimes cause significant damage. The larvae develop inside the stems of softer or less woody plants. They dig cavities of irregular shape, creating swellings in the stems. Lymph flows into these cavities. The males have femora and tibiae shaped in such a way that they use them to hold the females during mating. Depending on the species, proportions, sculpture, and even the secondary sexual characteristics vary so much that it's often difficult to distinguish between species. The famous British entomologist A. R. Crowson, in despair, wrote about this: “We are beginning to doubt the validity of the species because it is difficult to recognize the limits.” **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