Stamp honors “beneficial insects”

With the title “Beneficial Insects”, the stamp collection that is the result of the partnership between Embrapa Meio-Norte and Correios e Telégrafos is now available. The stamps, which began circulating on the market this month, will be officially launched for children and young people and environmentalists in February 2022.

In this issue, Correios, through the Philately area, pays homage to the 30th anniversary of the Treaty of Asunción, which resulted in the Common Market of the South (Mercosur), enabling, among several activities, the creation of Philatelic Issues with a Common Theme. To this end, Embrapa Meio-Norte was asked by the Post Office Philately Management to assist in the Special Postal Issuance of Mercosul Beneficial Insects.

“The idea was to work with children to make children aware of the importance of insects”, explained Fábia Pereira, one of the researchers responsible for selecting and producing the content for the stamps. “It was a year of a lot of work, but we managed, together with designer Luciana Fernandes, to produce this gem,” she added.

Based on biological, behavioral and ecological characteristics, six groups of beneficial insects were selected and individual representative images of each were produced. With playful characteristics and specific traits for children's characters, the artistic representations were carried out in a harmonious way in the relationship of colors, shapes and lines to create the relationship between beneficial insects and nature in a fun way.  

Microwasps, Dung Doves, Praying Mantises, Ladybugs, Bees and Dragonflies were some insects selected for their extraordinary characteristics in the preservation and conservation of the environment, as well as the fundamental role they play in agriculture. “I would like to congratulate my colleagues Bruno Souza, Fabia Pereira, Maria Teresa Rego, Patrícia Drumond and Luciana Fernandes for materializing this achievement, demonstrating the strength of teamwork and taking Embrapa's name around the world. Congratulations!”, greeted Anísio Lima Neto, general head of Embrapa Meio-Norte.

The title of the issue is displayed on the right part of the piece, and, in the lower left corner, the popular name of the insect representing the group is published. Watercolor and colored pencil techniques were used for the illustrations that were applied in computer graphics, combining vector software resources and digital image processing. The off-set and varnish printing process was carried out at Casa da Moeda and each sheet has 24 stamps with a face value of R$ 1,80 per stamp.

Notice No. 22 which deals with the sale of the stamp is now available on the Correios Online website, or at the Distance Sales Agency - Av. Presidente Vargas, 3.077 - 23rd floor, 20210-973 - Rio de Janeiro/RJ - telephone numbers: (21) 2503-8095/8096; email: centralvendas@correios.com.br.

For collectors, there is also the availability of the "obliterated" piece, a reference to the stamp of the stamp's 1st day of circulation, a philatelic piece that is stamped on the stamp on the day of “birth”, recording that date. Many philatelists collect this postal item, stamp + stamp, and some even assemble the so-called “postcard maximum”.