homehome Home chatchat Notifications


Using caddisflies and jewelry to create stunning works of art

The common caddisfly is, as the name calls it, common. They’re usually found near lakes, streams, ponds and rivers, and often used as a bait for trout fishermen. Their larva are aquatic and they create protective silk cases which incorporate bits of material from their surroundings, such as gravel, twigs or small pieces of shell. […]

Mihai Andrei
February 21, 2013 @ 4:24 am

share Share

The common caddisfly is, as the name calls it, common. They’re usually found near lakes, streams, ponds and rivers, and often used as a bait for trout fishermen. Their larva are aquatic and they create protective silk cases which incorporate bits of material from their surroundings, such as gravel, twigs or small pieces of shell.

caddisfly

French artist Hubert Duprat has “collaborated”, as he describes it, with caddis larvae by gently placing them in an environment full of gold, pearls and semi-precious stones. Without other material available, they flies spin these materials into their casings to produce breathtaking jewel-encrusted covers.

caddisfly2

Initially starting as an ingenious scientific experiment, this turned into an imaginative artistic gesture, with the caddisflies turning the available material into dashing pieces of art, as you can see for yourself.

caddisfly3

 

 

 

share Share

Miyazaki Hates Your Ghibli-fied Photos and They're Probably a Copyright Breach Too

“I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself,” he said.

The Roundest (and Most Rectangular) Countries, According to Math

Apparently, Sierra Leone is both very round and quite rectangular.

A Cartoonish Crash Test Raises Real Questions About Tesla’s Autopilot

Mark Rober pits Tesla against lidar in a real-life Wile E. Coyote experiment.

Speedrunners Just Discovered a Strange Problem With Old SNES Consoles: They're Sounding Faster

An old hardware choice means that the music is speeding up with the passing years.

Jay Bhattacharya has a history of misinformation. He's about to head the NIH

Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford professor with no experience treating patients, is set to become the director of the NIH.

The Return of the Bookstore: Brick and Mortar Shops Making Stunning Comeback

Young readers are fueling a surprising bookstore renaissance.

Trump’s Tariffs Just Made Everything More Expensive and Americans Are About to Feel It. Here's Exactly How

Trump's trade war will cost the average American household between $1,200 and $3,200 annually.

The smallest handmade sculpture in the world is no bigger than a blood cell

An artist has created the world’s smallest LEGO sculpture — so tiny it’s barely larger than a white blood cell.

Meet the Teen Who Can Add 100 Numbers in 30 Second and Broke 6 Guinness World Records for Mental Math

The Indian teenager is officially the world's fastest "human calculator".

From Fika to Friluftsliv: Four Scandinavian Concepts that Will Make Your Life Happier and Healthier (and a Bonus)

Sweden’s “Lagom,” and Denmark’s “Hygge,” aren’t just trendy words — they’re philosophies that promote well-being and balance.