1986 Golden Ground Beetle Carabus Auronitens Print - Durin Bernard Les Insectes Scientific Illustration - Fabricius 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 beetle with metallic green reflections (family: Carabidae) has black-ribbed elytra and measures between 18 and 26 mm. Its range extends from the Black Mountain in southern France to Central Europe and the Carpathians. It can be found from May to September in wooded valleys and mountainous areas. It reaches as far north as the Elbe River and the high mountains. Ground beetles, including their larvae, are predatory insects that prey on insects and their larvae, snails, and earthworms. They are therefore part of the useful animals in agriculture and forestry. A beetle consumes per day about a quarter to one and a half times its weight in food — for example, 8 to 10 larvae of the pine processionary caterpillar. Its digestion is unusual in that it does not immediately devour its prey. When it pierces the prey with its mandibles, it regularly injects a secretion into it, which liquefies the prey's insides and causes its death. It then sucks up the contents until only a ball of dry husk remains. This form of digestion is known as extra-oral digestion. Ground beetles protect themselves from their aggressors with a foul-smelling liquid secreted from a gland located in the rear of the abdomen, which is quite unique. However, this defense system does not provide total protection, as ground beetles are the usual victims of hedgehogs, songbirds, rats, foxes, and toads. A female ground beetle lays between 30 and 50 eggs at once, in small, shallow holes. The larvae hatch after about ten weeks, and since they are predators that do not consume highly nutritious food, they only need 2 to 3 months to complete their development. **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