Known for rolling large balls of poop around, dung beetles have inspired and enchanted us for thousands of years. In ancient Egypt, Khepri, god of the rising sun (sometimes thought of as one aspect of the sun god Ra), was depicted as a scarab, or a man with a scarab-head. They believed that just as the little scarabs moved their balls of dung around the land, Khepri rolled the disk of the morning sun across the sky.

And as it turns out, scarabs are pretty in tune with the sun. They use the light of the sun, the moon, and even the milk way, as a way to navigate in a straight line and rush their precious cargo to their home for safekeeping. The recycled waste is not just there to provide sustenance, it serves as a home for the most precious cargo of all: their eggs. When ancient Egyptians observed how little baby beetles emerged from the carefully protected dung, they attributed it to spontaneous creation, further connecting the scarab to the heavens and the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

Ethical sourcing is our number one priority. All of our taxidermy, skulls, bones, sealife and other natural science specimens have met our rigorous standards. See our "about us" section for more information or contact us with specific question.

All insects and Butterflies vary slightly in size and shape. You will receive a high quality specimen of the selected item but not the exact one pictured.