We’ve always been attracted to natural wonders and love nothing more than to preserve their beauty - but it is very important to note that all butterflies and beetles are sourced as responsibly and ethically as possible.
All insects are purchased from insect farming projects or small farmers around the globe - we currently purchase from different breeders in Peru, Costa Rica, Philippines, Indonesia, Kenya etc. This provides a very good income to people who live in very remote areas where there are next to no employment opportunities (think rainforest, high mountain, jungle areas etc.) and deforestation is a big threat for their livelihoods. In order to breed successfully they have to maintain the surrounding fauna and flora so this process contributes to keep important ecosystems protected.
All insects are bred but for some this can only be done according to their normal rhythm and cycle meaning that certain specimen bread at specific times of the year so not all specimen can be procured all year around. Butterflies have a lifespan of about a few days to a month whereas it’s a little longer for beetles, normally a few months. The insects are collected from the breeding grounds, disinfected and put into a little paper envelope or spread onto some cardboard where they dry out. That’s how we then receive them from different breeders around the world. We then start working on them in our London studio, where they are rehydrated, spread and then mounted into our displays.
It’s important to us to build this network and to gain as much knowledge about these breeders and the insect backgrounds as possible. Very little of the insects we work with are endangered and if they are they are purchased with the required CITES documentation.
We recently started adding corals, shells and other curiosities to our collection - these are always antiques and collected from markets and specialty dealers in Europe.
