Some of us might think to ourselves, why would anyone like bugs, they’re icky, but you’d be surprised just how much there is to be fascinated about when it comes to insects in general.
Sure, Animal Crossing might have already helped change your perspective on bugs, but there are surely more ways than one to convince people bugs aren’t all that bad and are actually a beautiful and meaningful part of our ecosystem.
Meet Duran Jay, an artist who does eye makeup inspired by exotic bugs, insects, and anything that fits the invertebrate category. On her dedicated Instagram page, she posts side-by-side comparisons of her colorful eye makeup designs and the bugs that inspired them.
Scroll down to check out some of her best and most mesmerizing work to date, and while you’re down there, read up on our interview with Duran and why not vote and comment on the makeup designs, or the inspirations behind them, that you enjoyed the most!
More info: Instagram
#1
Roseate emperor (Eochroa trimenii).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#2
Metallic wood-boring beetle (Anthaxia suzannae).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#3
Orchid mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) feat. my very own Trixie.
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#4
Another rainbow to celebrate on the last day of Pride month, this time inspired by the beautiful little orchid bee (Euglossa hansoni) who gained their name due to their specifically adapted hind legs that allow them to pollinate certain orchids that cannot be pollinated by other insects. These hind legs also help them to collect fragrances (more specifically, chemical compounds called esters) from the orchids so they can use them to show off their genetic quality when attracting a mate!
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#5
Flower chafer (Gymnetis pudibunda).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#6
Purple-stained daggerwing (Marpesia marcella valetta).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#7
Stink bug (Edessa rufomarginata).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#8
Green dragontail (Lamproptera meges).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#9
The Chilean tarantula (Grammostola porteri) belongs to the Grammostola genus, which contains 21 species of New World tarantula. New Worlds are those that are native to the Americas (in this case, South America) and are typically recommended as the best choice for beginner hobbyists due to their very mild venom that poses little threat to us humans.
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#10
Uraniid moth (Alcides aurora).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#11
Amazon blue bloom tarantula (Xenesthis intermedia).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#12
Finally, the highly-requested and long-awaited Picasso bug (Sphaerocoris annulus).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#13
Pamphobeteus sp. duran.
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#14
Peruvian grasshopper (Lophacris cristata).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#15
Giant Peruvian silkmoth (Copaxa medea).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#16
Mirror spiders (Thwaitesia argentiopunctata) use reflective guanine to display their unique colouration, which is actually the same thing found in our shampoo that gives it that pearly iridescent sheen.
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#17
Since Pride month is upon us, it only seems right to create at least one rainbow look! Though this perhaps isn’t the typical spectrum we’re used to seeing, at only 5mm this little jumping spider (Maratus robinsoni) is known to researchers as ‘nature’s smallest rainbow’. In fact, it is the only known example of a spider that deploys all colours of the rainbow to attract a mate, all from those tiny iridescent scales on his lil bug butt.
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#18
Shield-backed jewel bug (Poecilocoris rufigenus).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#19
Goliath beetle (Goliathus goliathus), one of the largest insects on the planet.
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#20
Niepelt’s eyed silkmoth caterpillar (Automeris niepelti) – despite how cute these may look, that colourful ‘fluff’ is actually made up of urticating spines that are quite venomous!
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#21
The Antilles pink toe (Caribena versicolor, formerly Avicularia versicolor) has to be one of my favourite tarantulas. Although they’re readily available and pretty commonly kept as pets due to their docile nature (and pretty colours ofc), I still consider it a ‘dream T’ and hope to own one some day soon (when I find the space!).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#22
The imperial tortoise beetle (Stolas imperialis) belongs to the Cassidinae subfamily, which is made up of tortoise and leaf-mining beetles that are quite special because they’re one of the 1% of all insects that typically display maternal instincts and care for their larvae! Werk lil bug mamas.
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#23
Crambid moth (Desmia bajulalis).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#24
Hypselodoris bennetti.
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#25
The saddleback caterpillar (Acharia stimulea) gains its name from its unique aposematic colouring, used primarily to alert potential predators that they are toxic (and basically wouldn’t make a very nice dinner).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#26
If you know, you know… 😬 giraffe weevil (Trachelophorus giraffa).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#27
This leggy boii is a polychromatic earth tiger (Haploclastus devamantha), a relatively small burrowing tarantula from India!
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#28
Notodontid moth caterpillar (Lobeza medina).
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#29
Happy World Bee Day! There are at least 5700 species of bee in the Apidae family, and the Indian black carpenter bee (Xylocopa tenuiscapa) is a perfect little reminder that they’re not all the classic black and yellow fuzzy friends we’re so used to seeing.
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
#30
Roseate skimmer (Orthemis ferruginea), my first entry from order Odonata. So many bug families and orders still unexplored on this page, which is terribly exciting really! The inspiration feels endless.
Image source: Duran Jay / Entomakeup
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