Gordon Beningfield: Stag Beetle

Artist: Gordon Beningfield
1936 - 1998
Nationality: British
Artwork Year: 1985
Image Size: 7 by 6 inches
Overall Size: 13 by 10.75 inches
Medium: Water Color on Cold Press Illustration Board

The veritable army of creatures who are called by the name beetle derived their name from the Old English word bitan, meaning to bite. And they came by their title for very good reason. The beetles are equipped with special mouthparts ideal for gnawing and chewing, and it is for this that they are known. The beetles comprise the largest insect order. To date nearly 290,000 species of beetles have been identified and described ... including the Stag Beetles, which themselves include eight hundred different species. Although the beetles bear hard, waterproof wings called elytra, they are really very poor flyers. However, their survival has not depended on the ability to fly, for the beetle can survive the most rigorous of conditions. Indeed, the beetle is found everywhere except in the coldest polar regions and in the world's oceans. Some beetles even live in the water! The Stag Beetle makes its home in wood. Compared to other beetles, the Stag Beetles are quite large and the larvae which develop in rotting wood often require several years to reach maturity. Once they reach adulthood, the Stag Beetles -- with their formidable mandibles -- certainly look fearsome as they crawl about on trees.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood® First Day Cover for the Great Britain 31p Stag Beetle stamp issued March 12, 1985.

Artwork Copyright © 1985 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): Sold

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