Goliath Beetle Wall Display (34 specimens)
Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2022 5:34 am
This is a Goliath Beetle display that I made in 2006. I've recently done a very minor "refresh" (swapped 4 beetles with better or more unique replacements) and decided to take a new photo.
The image was only taken with a cellphone, so the quality isn't great, and the limitations of a cell phone camera give the illusion that the outer beetles are "angled", or on a curved surface. However, the surface is flat of course and the beetles are also mounted flat to the backing!
The darker border areas were cut out of 1/8" thick foamboard and hand painted with a sponge using multiple layers to create an "aged/antique metal" finish. It does not show up very well in the photo though. The "strips" with irregular holes in them (in the borders) are pieces that I cut out from sheets of textured handmade paper (from an art store) and attached them to the matting. This handmade paper already had the holes in it. Again, difficult to see these well in the photo.
This display is framed with Optium Museum Acrylic.
In case anyone is interested, I will list the species.
Top row left to right:
G. goliatus form conspersus/albatus 88mm
G. goliatus strong form undulatus/albatus 100mm
G. orientalis form preissi lighter variation 93mm
G. cacicus with violet glow 90mm
G. orientalis form preissi darker variation 93mm
G. orientalis form pustulatus 99mm
G. goliatus form conspersus 89mm
Middle row left to right NOT including any females:
G. goliatus form apicalis 98mm
G. orientalis form conspersus 94mm
G. goliatus form conspersus 100mm
G. goliatus form (very extreme) conspersus 100mm
G. goliatus form conspersus 92mm
G. goliatus 102.5mm
G. orientalis 95mm
G. goliatus 96mm
Bottom row left to right:
G. goliatus form conspersus 98mm
G. cacicus 91mm
G. G. goliatus form albatus 100mm
G. goliatus form quadrimaculatus 99mm
G. goliatus form undulatus 94mm
G. cacicus with darker patterned pronotum and golden overtones to elytra (not greasy or stained!)
G. regius 95mm
Left vertical row of G. albosignathus - top to bottom:
G. albosignathus kirkianus strong yellow/orange form (not greasy or stained) 54mm
G. albosignathus albosignathus female 46mm
G. albosignathus albosignathus 59mm
Right vertical row of G. albosignathus - top to bottom:
G. albosignathus kirkianus 64mm
G. albosignathus albosignathus female 50mm
G. albosignathus albosignathus 60mm
The two females in the middle are G. cacicus (top) and G. goliatus quadrimaculatus
The image was only taken with a cellphone, so the quality isn't great, and the limitations of a cell phone camera give the illusion that the outer beetles are "angled", or on a curved surface. However, the surface is flat of course and the beetles are also mounted flat to the backing!
The darker border areas were cut out of 1/8" thick foamboard and hand painted with a sponge using multiple layers to create an "aged/antique metal" finish. It does not show up very well in the photo though. The "strips" with irregular holes in them (in the borders) are pieces that I cut out from sheets of textured handmade paper (from an art store) and attached them to the matting. This handmade paper already had the holes in it. Again, difficult to see these well in the photo.
This display is framed with Optium Museum Acrylic.
- Updated Goliath Display IN brighter more color.jpg (782.04 KiB) Viewed 2170 times
In case anyone is interested, I will list the species.
Top row left to right:
G. goliatus form conspersus/albatus 88mm
G. goliatus strong form undulatus/albatus 100mm
G. orientalis form preissi lighter variation 93mm
G. cacicus with violet glow 90mm
G. orientalis form preissi darker variation 93mm
G. orientalis form pustulatus 99mm
G. goliatus form conspersus 89mm
Middle row left to right NOT including any females:
G. goliatus form apicalis 98mm
G. orientalis form conspersus 94mm
G. goliatus form conspersus 100mm
G. goliatus form (very extreme) conspersus 100mm
G. goliatus form conspersus 92mm
G. goliatus 102.5mm
G. orientalis 95mm
G. goliatus 96mm
Bottom row left to right:
G. goliatus form conspersus 98mm
G. cacicus 91mm
G. G. goliatus form albatus 100mm
G. goliatus form quadrimaculatus 99mm
G. goliatus form undulatus 94mm
G. cacicus with darker patterned pronotum and golden overtones to elytra (not greasy or stained!)
G. regius 95mm
Left vertical row of G. albosignathus - top to bottom:
G. albosignathus kirkianus strong yellow/orange form (not greasy or stained) 54mm
G. albosignathus albosignathus female 46mm
G. albosignathus albosignathus 59mm
Right vertical row of G. albosignathus - top to bottom:
G. albosignathus kirkianus 64mm
G. albosignathus albosignathus female 50mm
G. albosignathus albosignathus 60mm
The two females in the middle are G. cacicus (top) and G. goliatus quadrimaculatus