Bugs have crossed your path a million times, but you probably weren’t aware that you were in the presence of some of nature’s most stunning works of art!
From afar, most insects don’t seem all that interesting. But if you take a closer look, there’s a lot more going on with their tiny frames than we can see with the naked eye.
In fact, when we zoom in, they look more like tiny pieces of art than anything else. And lucky for us, British photographer, Levon Biss, has made it possible for us to take a closer look at these intricate little creatures!
The Orchid Cuckoo Bee is the most spectacular of all bees in terms of size, colour and microsculpture. We usually think of bees as benign, helpful creatures, but Exaerete is a cuckoo bee. Instead of collecting pollen and constructing their own nests, female cuckoo bees enter the nests of other bees and lay their eggs in the host’s brood cells. This particular specimen has grown to a large size by consuming the pollen diligently collected by its host.
Source: Courtesy of Levon Biss
View more amazing Microsculptures on his website!
The Microsculpture project began with a bug from the backyard. Now, it’s in exhibitions around the world featuring insects of every shape, color, and size in a format that lets us see their structures like we’ve never been able to.
Levon Biss, who had his start in the field photographing humans, teamed up with the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and photographed specimens from their extensive insect collection.
The result is not only a treat for photography enthusiasts but for entomologists who have never seen their subjects of study presented in such a dynamic and detailed way.
This film tells us the story of how he got started with Microsculptures and describes the painstakingly precise process that it takes to create just one photo. Take a look…
It’s amazing what happens when we take the time to look a little closer.
Our perceptions of these creatures can completely change once we’re able to see how truly stunning and intricately designed they are.
In fact, the day that I came across this video I happened to lean back in my chair only to see a beetle scurrying across the ceiling above my head. After the initial shock that generally comes from scurrying creatures, I couldn’t help myself from attempting to take a closer look. Isn’t there something a bit calmer about viewing the world through a more curious lens? I know my relationship with spiders has definitely gotten better after learning more about them.
Additionally, if you’d like to experience what it’s like to really zoom in on these little friends, head on over to the Levon Biss website, Microculpture.net. We can see 34 different specimens in all of their marvelous detail! This is one of those websites I sent around to all of my friends with a hefty handful of exclamation points accompanying the message—it’s that cool.
You can also see if an exhibit is coming to a place near you! And give Levon a follow on Instagram if you’d like to stay up to date with what he’s up to.
Once magnified the secret to the spectacular patterning of this beetle is revealed – a covering of extremely fine pigmented scales similar to those of butterflies and moths.
Source: Courtesy of Levon Biss
Visit the Microsculpture website for more!
Oh, do you want to look closer at even more of our world?
When we look closer at what’s around us, an entirely new world appears!
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Read Article Watch Video Listen to PodcastTherefore, the next time you think something or someone looks rather plain, remember that there’s more happening than our eyes can see.
Stay open to new possibilities!
- Sam
“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” — Albert Einstein
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Notes:
- “Microsculpture.” Vimeo, Levon Biss, 4 Mar. 2016, vimeo.com/157712307. Accessed 28 Aug. 2018. ↩
