On July 21, 2011, An Post issued a further eight stamps for its Irish Animals and Marine Life definitive series, illustrating Ireland’s biodiversity from the seabed to the mountain top. Biodiversity is an all-encompassing term used to describe the variety of all life and natural processes on Earth.

The species featured on these stamps are; the Green Huntsman, the Elephant Hawk-moth, the Goldfinch and the Red Deer.

The Green Huntsman spider is of the family Sparassidae. It does not build a web, and hunts insects in green vegetation, where it is well camouflaged. Many huntsman spiders have rather flattened bodies adapted for living in narrow spaces under loose bark or rock crevices.

The Elephant Hawk-moth has many fascinating features including its size and its captivating vibrant pink colour.  It lives in woodland clearings, in gardens, and around waste grounds, but is often found in flower gardens, usually feeding near fuchsias.

The Goldfinch is one of Ireland’s most widespread garden birds. It is brightly-coloured and has become a familiar sight at garden nut feeders in recent years.

The Red Deer has a rich red coloured coat, darkening down to a greyish brown in winter. A mature stag carries a large rack of antlers, which are at peak condition in the early autumn for the rut, when they are used for bouts of sparring between rivals.

The stamps were designed by Zinc Design Consultants.

Technical Details

Date of Issue    : July 21, 2011

Value     : 4 x 55c

Design     : Zinc Design Consultants

Stamp Size    : 56mm x 25mm

Colour     : Multicolour with phosphor tagging

Make-up    : Strips of 4

Perforations    : 11 x 11.25 approx

Printing Process : HP Indigo high resolution digital print    
  
Printer     : Label Art Ltd.

Product Code: 11DL2