Mini-Maxicards

What is a Maxicard?
A maxi card is a postcard with a postage stamp placed on the picture side of the card where the stamp and card match or are in concordance.

These are mini-maxicards because they are ATC sized. All images were scanned prior to the stamps being applied so I could include them in my NZ Naturally art book. The Huhu beetle you can see in the post below.

Original stamps were designed and drawn by my artistic idol, Dave Gunson. He's a very talented New Zealand artist who not only has a similar style to mine but also responded to my message in his Guestbook AND encouraged me to start on my portfolio. You can see his art here.

The critters featured are:
Chorus cicada - The males of these small insects perch high in the tree canopy and sing loudly to attract the ladies (who remain mute). Their Maori name is "kihikihi wawa" which means "cicada" and "roaring sound of heavy rain" and rather describes the racket they are prone to making. They are one of the heralds of summer. This noise is made by vibrating organs in the abdomen (called tymbals) which are amplified by reasonating chambers. The insects also drum their wings against the tree trunk to add percussive clicks. This song proves irresistable to the females who come in swarms to mate with the singer.

Huhu beetle - description in the post below

Katipo Spider - this wee black fellow has recently made the headlines for two reasons - one is for biting a nude male bather in his delicates and causing him much pain and embarrasment and the second is for making the Endangered Species list. This means it is ILLEGAL to kill them. They are the most venomous native spider in New Zealand and make their home in sand dunes where they weave their webs in rotten logs, native dune grasses or in and under litter. So, be careful where you tread/sit/nude sunbathe or you might cause yourself unnecessary pain AND get fined for the slaughter of an endangered species. However, Katipo prefer to eat small invertebrates and only the female is capable of biting. Although the venom can be fatal, an antivenom has been developed and noone has perished of it since.