Bio-Art: Insect jewelry?!

Among the things one can get at ReptileFest, a few trinkets will always be related to insects and other arthropods. There was the framed cicada I showed you yesterday, but also jewelry with scorpions,  beetles, and other such things imprisoned in lucite for better viewing.

Yes, you read that right: Jewelry with real dead scorpions in it.

Auctions relist often.

This is an especially stunning scorpion pendant from eBay seller china_custom_5000. People can get very creative with sticking insects into clear plastic. This one almost looks like it's trapped in amber, and that setting is just to die for.  Of course, given that the Chinese sellers of such things love advertising that they're from Tibet, I'd think twice. Still a very nice piece of jewelry. I also like the ones that glow in the dark. 

Scorpions not your thing? How about beetle bracelets, then? The seller there is where I got my own rose chafer bracelet from; now I wish I'd gotten the chafer bracelet linked above! (Glow in the dark things make Kuro very happy). A lot of their things seem like Chinese repacks (you'll notice a lot of bug jewelry sellers located in China/Hong Kong), but they're cheaper, ship from the U.S., and have tons of cool packaging. Check 'em out at www.realcoolbug.com if you're not into eBay. They do good work!

Now for one of my personal insectoid covet items on eBay: a glow-in-the-dark cicada computer mouse. There's also a clear one, but again, the glowy one is fine for sampling. A lot of these things come in multiple colors, so if you have an outfit that a scorpion would look great on, by all means get one that matches. Hell, my chafer bracelet has alligator pleather on it; this stuff can work.

Along with being eaten, making insects into accessories seems to be the new 'in' thing. There also used to be green rose chafer clocks, but I can't find them anymore. If you want to invest in these, the sellers in China adore wholesalers, and will gladly sell you dozens for roughly 40 bucks. Have fun!

Creature Feature: Deathstalker.

If you were shocked by the title, you are probably expecting something epic. Without looking the creature up, you probably think that it has skulls, a scythe, or, better yet, flaming skulls and a scythe. The name is that appealing to fans of "darker and edgier." Hell, why isn't this creature blessed with its own heavy metal band, yet?

It already has a B-movie.

Thing is, most venomous animals don't roll that way. Often, the deadliest things are tiny, inconspicuous, and sometimes even cute. The same goes for the deathstalker - you will NEVER see it coming.

From Wikipedia. :)

 

That's the deathstalker (Leiurus quinquestriatus), the deadliest scorpion in the world. It is native to Israel, Pakistan, Egypt, and other blisteringly-hot, politically-intense areas in that range.  Like most scorpions, it feeds on insects. Watch out for your shoes if you wander into its range.

The deathstalker has the most potent venom of any scorpion. One sting from it contains no less than 5 different neurotoxins. The sting is extremely painful and should be treated as a medical emergency. Antivenin availability varies from place to place, with French and German pharmaceutical companies making it regularly, but NO support from the USFDA. Even with a name like "deathstalker," the sting is only usually fatal to the immune-challenged.

Of course, people want this bugger for more than just antivenin. Along with those neurotoxins, valuable chemical agents dwell in the deathstalker's tail. Chlorotoxin, a peptide, has been shown to help tame brain tumors. A few other chemicals might regulate insulin, making this little scorpion a lifesaver to diabetics.

Source:Offbeatpets.com

This does not mean you should keep this scorpion as a pet. Deathstalkers are by no means a beginner's scorpion, but are often sold to anyone willing to pay anyways. Some smart, yet ruthless person figured out that people interested in arachnids miiight just want something called a "deathstalker," regardless of how dangerous it actually was.

"They Actually Eat That:" Scorpions.

After watching one too many videos detailing what goes on in factory farms, we're all about other, locally-farmed sources of protein. Rabbit and horse have both escaped being factory-farmed, for example. So has dog, but that's going out of fashion. Most people do not dare venture into land invertebrate territory, despite crickets being perfectly good whole food. For the extra-daring nature lover/factory farm hater, there is a special diet option: SCORPIONS!


Source: The Herald.

The truth is, many other places have been eating scorpions for quite a long time. China is the number one nation known for eating scorpions, for example. Besides claiming the world record for eating things that would never go over well in America (scorpions are really just another drop in the bucket), the Chinese see eating scorpions as a testament to one's courage and manliness. Plus, mongooses eat them, and who wouldn't want to be compared to a mongoose?



Recently, scorpions have actually caught on in America as well. Not only have they appeared in things like Hotlix and Chinatowns, but there are whole festivals for arthropod cuisine in Richmond, Virginia. Time magazine latched onto one creative soul turning frozen scorpions into Italian cuisine.

Source: Time Magazine.

Scorpions: Naturally-grown, kick ass, mongoose approved. They're EXTREEEEME!