Thinking about Bessie again and how sometimes kids just decide an animal is trans. I've introduced a lot of ambassador animals to kids and I'll often say, "we know this one is male because of his size/coloration/behavior" and kids will sometimes respond with "well I think she's a girl." And it's like. Well, she's a frog so I don't think she'll mind either way.

I would also like to nominate Fluffy Dave as a name!

Hey everyone! Have a look at this Bubblegum Baphomet that I drew as a gift for my mom! She wants to get it as a tattoo!

Yes I know i’ve been gone, i’ve been going through some stuff, but i’m trying to come back!

Here is the drawing on a dark background for fun! I had a lot of fun! 

If anyone is wondering about the symbolism, baphomet represents duality and balance.

they are both male and female, hence the gender signs, the sun and the moon represent night and day, the macintosh rose and skull represent life and death, and the aries and aquarius symbols are personal additions for mi madre!

you can't see the human part other than the piercings, body modifications and gages, but baphomet is also of course, both man and animal.

under one ear you can see an ouroboros for infinity and wholeness, as well as beginnings and endings, (or is there no such thing?) and of course the fire crown of knowledge.

I also worked in the twin snakes from the caduceus staff, which is usually present on baphomets belt and is a symbol for travelers and messengers.

Lamprosoma sp.

photos by Gil Wizen

Pretty beetles make inspired art! I know it’s just a sketch, but I’m happy with it!

Beautiful work, it looks reminiscent of a theater mask. The way the colors smoothly transition is wonderful

Thank you!! I actually painted it in grey scale and applied a gradient map over it in procreate, so I could have my values right where I wanted them and adjust the colors however I pleased! a couple overlays gave the extra green shine as well.

I'm so happy you like the violets!! They are for you!

An inner glow.

if you’re curious about centipede sounds, here’s Agatha walking on some paper after her banana treat time.

42 little clicking nails ASMR? (well, really only about 38 are ever in contact with the ground)

(Scolopendra mutilans)

when me and my twin were little, our mom took us to an arachocon, and there was this raffle that offered a handful of different animals, some tarantulas, some beetles, some corn snakes and a centipede.

so mom let us have ten tickets each and go make our bets, not knowing that we would decide to pool all twenty tickets into one box.

and that was how two seven year olds got a giant centipede who they named slinky.

she was crazy smart too.

Spined tortoise beetle, Acromis spinifex, Cassidinae, Chrysomelidae

Found in South America, this species is one of few tortoise beetles that engage in maternal care. Females guard their young in all stages from egg to pupa - photo 3 shows a female with eggs, photos 4 and 5 show a female with larvae, and photo 6 shows a female with pupae.

Photos 1-2 by rob-westerduijn, 3-5 by cesarfavacho, 6 by jiri_hodecek, 7-8 by aacocucci, 9 by elendil_c, and 10 (for scale) by amydeacontt

I think she’ll make a ~lovely~ edition to my Crowned Crone collection! Tortoise beetles are so cute, I love the inspiration!

tie-dyed

these key out to Agrilus politus but i've never seen them with this sort of coloration before, plus the host plant is wrong so I'm gonna need to consult the buprestid wizard once he gets back from vacation

The curve of this beetles' shell makes for a lovely and interesting face, I decided to do a sketch.