Yan Bingwu (Chinese, B. 1954) & Yang Wenqing (Chinese, B. 1951) "Bombardier Beetle" Signed lower left. Watercolor on Silk/Rice Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.
This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the 33¢ Bombardier Beetle Classic Collection Series stamp issued October 1, 1999.
Ground beetles are members of the Carabidae family -- one of the largest and most abundant beetle families. Species include Chlaenius, Calosoma, Scarites and Brachinus. Although many ground beetles are nocturnal and hide in dark places during the day, others are frequently seen among vegetation or flowers. Both adults and larvae of ground beetle species are beneficial to man, feeding on garden pests like gypsy moth larvae, cankerworms and cutworms. The Calosoma species are known as caterpillar hunters. These insects often climb trees or shrubs in search of prey. A distinctive characteristic of many ground beetles is the emission of an unpleasant odor when handled. When disturbed, Bombardier Beetles of the Brachinus species spray an explosive jet of scalding hot fluid from the tip of their abdomen. The pygidial glands produce two different chemical substances that are stored in separate chambers closed off by muscular valves. When attacked, the Bombardier Beetle releases these substances into a reaction chamber, creating the irritant spray. Even birds and reptiles quickly spit out the Bombardier Beetle as soon as the foul-smelling, corrosive, burning secretions contact their mouths.
Image Size: 14.25 x 12.25 in.
Overall Size: 14.25 x 12.25 in.
Unframed.
(B16499)
Condition
- By registering to bid for this auction either in-house or online and/or placing a bid in this auction the BIDDER/BUYER agrees to all the terms and conditions of Helmuth Stone Gallery Auctions.
- All silver, gold and/or jewelry lots or invoices containing said lots MUST be paid for via wire transfer or cashier’s check, no other forms of payment will be accepted.
- We recommend looking into shipping quotes prior to bidding, shipping quotes can take up to a week or more post-sale as we host our auctions through 6 online platforms and shipping can become backlogged.
- All sales are final; no refunds will be given under any circumstances.
- Helmuth Stone Gallery provides condition reports as a courtesy to our clients and assumes no liability for any error or omission. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, and is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Descriptions are our opinions and should in no way be construed as a guarantee of any kind as to age, condition, mater. The bidder assumes responsibility for ensuring that the condition of the item(s) meets with their satisfaction prior to bidding. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.
- Online images can sometimes be low quality due to the uploading process, original high-resolution images can be requested via email at HelmuthStone@gmail.com