FAQ

Did you kill these insects?

No. I do not kill insects. Not me, not other oddity artists. We don't kill things. 

Some I find, some are donated and some are hyper-realistic paper specimens.

The bulk of them are responsibly and sustainably sourced from insect farms and conservatories around the world.

What are insect farms and conservatories?

These are organizations around the world that breed insects for conservation purposes and they also help to protect the insects natural habitat. Of the insects they breed, some are released to give back to the wild population while others are humanely euthanized after emerging so they can be preserved as perfect specimens for science and art purposes.

Why source from farms and conservatories?

People are going to collect and sell cool insects no matter what. There is a huge collection of people around the world who find preserved insects fascinating, and they will acquire them in one way or another.

There are insect poachers just like poachers of any other desired animal. 

People who poach insects from the wild just take, take, take from the native habitats and do not give back to the species or environment. They do not allow the insects to complete their life cycle which means no more eggs for caterpillars that turn into more moths etc. If we had to rely on wild caught specimens for education and artistic purposes - the species would quickly go extinct.

Why don't you say your work is "ethically" sourced like other artists do?

Ethics are subjective. Some people like taxidermy, and others are highly against it.

If you would have asked me a few years ago (when I was vegetarian/almost vegan) if I thought preserved insects were "ethical" - I would say no. Because I was uneducated. All I thought was killing = bad.

However, upon growing as an entomology artist, I've learned that these farms and conservatories are completely necessary for the longevity of many desired species. 

For example: the Blue Morpho and the Atlas Moth. Two beyond gorgeous insects that are highly desired by many. Without conservatories and breeding facilities, people would poach them from the wild and deplete the population without giving them a chance to breed and continue their lifecycle.

Insects farms and conservatories give back to the native habitats to these beautiful creatures and provide scientists and educators with pristine specimens for education and research purposes. 

Moths and Butterflies wings get tattered and torn when they live their full life cycle, because they're always flying into things like trees, branches or even their own enclosure at conservatories. 

Any artist or educator that tells you a specimen in perfect condition lived their full lifecycle... is lying. Or they don't know any better. But you do, after reading this :)

I use the terms "responsibly and sustainably sourced" because I'm confident that supporting insect farms and conservatories is better for the longevity of the species and their habitats. 

Entomology is the scientific study of insects that started in the early 19th century. I encourage everyone to do their own research on the preservation of insects to deepen your own personal knowledge and love for these incredible species we're able to see today.

The bones and teeth I work with,

I do say these are ethically sourced because they were foraged by myself or someone I know. I am very picky about where I get my bones from. The majority of them were found as roadkill, found dead around the neighborhood, or left over from a hunter who killed the animal for meat and has no use for the bones.

How can I best take care of my Olive Blue art pieces?

Please see my Care Info page :)