US #5802i
2023 Diving Beetle Front Foot – Life Magnified
- Pictures a microscopic view of a diving beetle front foot
- Part of the Life Magnified set of 20 stamps
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Life Magnified
Value: 66¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: August 10, 2023
First D... more
US #5802i
2023 Diving Beetle Front Foot – Life Magnified
- Pictures a microscopic view of a diving beetle front foot
- Part of the Life Magnified set of 20 stamps
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Life Magnified
Value: 66¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: August 10, 2023
First Day City: Cleveland, Ohio
Quantity Issued: 32,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset, Flexographic
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block Tagging
Why the stamp was issued: To show an up-close view of a diving beetle front foot we would never be able to see with the naked eye.
About the stamp design: Pictures a photograph taken with special techniques using a microscope. Design also includes the name of the specimen.
First Day City: First Day of Issue Ceremony was held in Cleveland, Ohio, at The Great American Stamp Show.
About the Life Magnified Set: These 20 stamps were issued to showcase life undetectable by the human eye alone. All 20 stamps picture photographs taken using special techniques and the aid of a microscope. The set celebrates the beauty and complexity of microscopic organisms and parts of organisms, the study of which have had various impacts on humans.
History the stamp represents: The Dytiscidae family are predatory diving beetles named for the Greek dytikos (able to dive). They are found in freshwater habits worldwide and grow to 0.4-1.0 inches long, though some reach up to 2.0 inches. They are dark brown, black, or dark green in color. Male beetles differ in appearance from females as they have a special structure on their front leg. This structure is something like a suction cup, which is used to hold onto female beetles during mating. When viewed under a microscope, the structure has three larger disks, a number of much smaller disks, and tiny hairs all adding to the “stickiness” of the male’s foot.
Predatory diving beetles are sometimes called “water tigers” due to their big appetite and aggressive hunting style. They feed on other insects, snails, small fish, tadpoles, leeches, and even the occasional frog. They do not hesitate to go after creatures much larger than themselves, using their powerful jaws to take down their prey. The beetles inject digestive enzymes into their meal to make it easier for them to eat. These enzymes are harmful to small creatures, but harmless to humans, with a bite causing only minor irritation.
There is much more to predator diving beetles than meets the eye, making them a fun species to look for the next time you visit a freshwater pond.
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