What’s the most you would pay for one insect? $20? $50? or $100? The most expensive price ever paid for an insect was $115,000 for a male stag beetle one of the rarest insects out there! Insects have roamed the Earth in their many varieties for over 479 million years, they make up almost 80% of all life on this planet and they have not failed to capture people’s interests.
On Lladró’s Rhinoceros Beetle you can clearly see how the beetle’s horn might be used as a weapon and the damaged it might inflict.
Insects are a marvel of evolution and natural selection with over a million different species, each specifically tailored by nature to survive and thrive in their natural environment. Insects are such a key part of almost every ecosystem on the planet and yet most of what they actually do goes unnoticed by most people. In order to show some appreciation to these creatures, Lladró has artfully immortalised three of the most recognisable insects in striking colours and their signature porcelain in their Awesome Insects collection. Insects may seem like such a niche interest but they have a wide following of people who pay shocking amounts just to get their hands on one of the creatures. Dragonflies, Hercules Beetles and Rhinoceros Beetles are among the most well-known insects in the animal kingdom, mainly credited for their distinctive appearances, but there is far more to each of these interesting insects than meets the eye.
Update: The collection has now extended to matt white versions of the Rhinoceros and Hercules Beetle, and Dragonfly, as well as a new Bee Figurine.
Hercules Beetle
The Hercules Beetle, known for its peculiar long horn protruding from its face, known as a thoracic horn. Male Hercules beetles can grow up to 173mm in length making them the longest species of beetle in the world. They are a subspecies of the Scarab beetle, though this particular one is native to the jungles of Central and South America. One of the most fascinating things about the Hercules Beetle is their almost herculean strength, being able to lift almost 850 times their own body weight, hence why they are named after the Greek demi-god renowned for his incredible feats of strength. To put this in perspective, that would be equivalent to one human lifting nine fully grown male elephants, making them one of, if not the strongest animals on the planet.
Lladró’s Hercules Beetle gives special attention to the detail of the beetle’s wings with the metallic effect they’ve added.
Lladró has boldly reimagined the Hercules Beetle in a stunningly rich blue, with metallic blue wings, that are slightly open so as to appear as if it is about to fly off. Though this beetle is typically found in shades of brown and olive, the blue is a striking change that is sure to complement any home decor.
Dragonfly
The pattern of Dragonflies wings were very popular as a motif during the Art Nouveau period, still, to this day, you can find dresses with this patterning on them.
Dragonflies can be found in almost every corner of the globe, known for their needle-like body, large translucent wings and massive eyes, these insects are a staple of every wetland and garden pond. With such a large expanse of area that they can be found in, many cultures have attached significant symbolic meaning to them and have specific uses for them. In Chinese, Native American and Japanese cultures Dragonflies are quite popular for their healing properties in traditional medicine and as they are a source of good protein they can often be found in traditional dishes of Indonesian food. Dragonflies have significant spiritual and symbolic meanings in Japan, particularly as heralds of Autumn, they represent change, rebirth, courage and happiness. It was only relatively recently that Ddragonflies became very popular in the West due to the emergence of the Art Nouveau movement of the 1910s-1930s. Dragonfly motifs can be found in many Art Nouveau pieces and the pattern of their wings are a significant source of inspiration.
Lladró’s Dragonfly Figurine is delicately balanced on metal legs that accurately show the insect’s strange proportions.
Lladró’s Dragonfly Figurine spares no detail, from the delicate wings decorated in silver lustre to the ridiculously large eyes that allow dragonflies to see 360 degrees. Eyesight is such a key part of their survival that almost 80% of their brain is dedicated simply to sight.
Rhinoceros Beetle
Like the Hercules Beetle, the Rhinoceros Beetle is a subspecies of the Scarab family, these two beetles actually share a lot of traits such as their incredible strength and most noticeably their horns. Only the male beetles grow horns, which they use as a very powerful weapon for fighting and digging. In some parts of Asia, Rhinoceros Beetle fights are a popular gambling activity, where people bet on which beetle will knock the other off a log the fastest. They are also one of the largest types of beetle in the world, however, it can take years to reach adult size, spending most of their time as larvae and unfortunately, once they do finally reach adulthood they only live four to five months.
Lladró’s Rhinoceros Beetle here you can clearly see the ombre effect on the behind of the beetle in a bold red colour that stands out against the black.
Lladró’s Rhino Beetle is an accurate depiction of the size of these huge insects, measuring at 16cm in length. The figurine is finished in a stunning ombre of black and red gloss that reveals all the detail of the wings and body.
Most insects only live for a short while in their adult form and for beetles so unique and uncommon as the Rhinoceros and Hercules Bettles people will go to extraordinary lengths just to see and own of these amazing creatures in their prime. Lladró has captured and immortalised these awesome creatures in their adulthood, a time when they are at their most desirable yet their lifespan is almost over.