Tag Archives: Insects

Who knew a computer bug could be a good thing?

This excellent LEGO insect built by Duncan Lindbo is one of my most favorite fan builds in recent history. Set atop an enlarged computer chip, it totally sells the idea that this is some sort of cyber bug. It even has a realistic name: “Cyberoptera Digitalis”. But apart from simply looking cool, it utilizes some awesome part techniques such as 3-pointed “rock crystals” for eyes, crowbars for feet, a screwdriver for a proboscis, and Uruk-hai swords for wing-tips. Speaking of wings, they even articulate and fan out!

Cyberoptera Digitalis

If you like this, check out some more awesome models by Duncan Lindbo, as well as all sorts of cyber creations. And don’t forget the insect builds well you’re at it!

Scolia the Venomous

This LEGO creation by Ivan Martynov is not for the faint of heart. Or at least not for people who are afraid of wasps and mosquitos. This little critter looks like it is not only equipped to defend itself against harmful villains. It looks like it was built to act out Order 66. It looks like a mean killing machine that won’t be taking prisoners. I can already see lots of people defending themselves with menu cards, rolled-up newspapers or a fly swatter. These beasts roam the tourist hotspots like zoos, playgrounds, ice cream parlours, and let’s not forget public parks. To top it off, they appear to be venomous and vigilante.

Scolia

New arrivals in the steampunk insectarium

It’s been a while since we’ve checked in on Caleb Flutur‘s collection of insect automatons, so let’s see what he’s been up to! First up is this amazing butterfly, which is absolutely chock-a-block with inventive parts use. Two sizes of whip are used as antennae, with barrels and golden flowers forming the thorax. What really completes the look are the wings. These are made from canvas pieces from 75148 Encounter on Jakku and really look the part.

Butterfly 2

Step into the insectarium for more new creepy-crawlies!

A hop, skip and spring-loaded jump

The expansion of Caleb Flutur‘s LEGO steampunk insect menagerie continues apace. This time, he has cooked us up a cracking grasshopper. This might be my favourite of his mechanical bugs so far! The gold highlights look great, without being too overbearing; ditto for the reddish-brown ‘wooden’ parts. The black sausages are a fine – if fragile – solution for the antennae. The elements that jump out to me, though, are the shock absorber and spring elements used for the hind legs. It’s such a good fit, yet somehow it doesn’t seem like an obvious choice of a part. It makes it look like this thing really could spring up at you!

Grasshopper

I have a need for ‘pede!

We truly don’t mean to feature every last LEGO creation Caleb Flutur has built lately but damn, son, that guy is prolific! He’s clearly having the best week ever with his series of Steampunk-inspired creepy crawlies. He says he’ll be posting one a day until…we don’t know when. We’re amused, if not a bit bugged out. We can feature other things but the rest of youse haven’t exactly been doing anything to exterminate this onslaught of jeepers-creepers. You know who you are! Build something, will ya? We just might feature it. In the meantime, check out some other things that bug us imensely.

Centipede

Itsy bitsy mechano-spider will exterminate all bugs in your home

When it comes to weird mechanical mashups, Caleb Flutur seems to have the market cornered. Fresh off the back of his addition to Sodor’s territorial defense , he has gone in an altogether different direction with this pair of steampunk insects. A lot of steampunk builds like to accentuate the use of, well, steam, but I like the focus on the electromechanical here. After all, that was one of the great advancements of the Victorian era. The clockwork fly makes ingenious use of a pair of window panes as wings. Meanwhile, the spider has a great whopping filament bulb forming its thorax (another Victorian bright idea). I normally think spiders get a bad rap since they eat all sorts of annoying bugs, but this is one arachnid I’d rather not have hanging around my house…

Spider and Fly

Caleb says this is the first of a few steampunk creatures in the pipeline, so we’ll be keeping a beady eye out for more! In the meantime, why not whet your appetite in our steampunk archives?

Best to avoid this sentinel of the void

The Lehvak-Kal, the latest LEGO build by Djokson, absolutely sucks, and I mean that entirely as a compliment! This swarm sentinel of the vacuum looks ready to consume all in it’s path with it’s nozzle-like claws. They’re on the ends of those excellently used pneumatic tubes, a part that’s notoriously difficult to build with. I also love the crafting of its smaller pair of arms and its mandibles. When I look at the Lehvak-Kal, I can almost hear it’s chittering. Although that doesn’t make much sense, when sound can’t propagate in a vacuum.

Lehvak-Kal

This fly guy is a one cool samurai

It would probably not be a good idea to swat insects in front of this character! Sandro Quattrini has created this unique looking build of a humanoid fly in samurai clothing. There are some fantastic details in the design such as a statuette trophy at the centre of the chest, moustache pieces portraying defined muscles and a castle helmet at the end of the torso. Large plant pieces form the bands around the arms which are primarily made up of inversed tire pieces. The tips of the fingers and toes use minifigure hands to provide the character with an extra hairy feel. Things might be the other way around if you confronted this fly, most likely you’d be the one buzzing off!

Fly Samurai

This flower mantis wants you to put up your dukes

This LEGO flower mantis built by Takamichi Irie is so pretty. It’s also deadly if you happen to be its prey…or a male flower mantis. I’m not sure whether I want to fight it or kiss it. Either way, it’s probably best I keep a safe distance from anything that would bite my head off after mating, not that I’d be into that sort of thing. (Well, that got awkward fast!) While you’re mulling over how that would work out, take a look at why we are so smitten by anything Takamichi does. On second thought, maybe I can give this pretty flower mantis just a tiny smooch. What can go wrong?

Flower Mantis

Will you find this magnificent insectoid creeping around in your garden?

LEGO builder Djokson has constructed this model of a striking white insectoid. The creature has a spindly frame, with thin arms and legs, however there is a sense of a threatening aura in those gleaming red eyes. The magnificent crown of horns on its head implies that this creature is the leader of a hive and even looks as though it could have potential for being a type of Pokémon, I’d want one on my team! One of the most interesting techniques used is the application of handcuffs to create the chest as they are stacked up and placed on horn pieces.

Dissector Dam'nakk

The cicada has one crazy summer

Cicadas are interesting in the sense that they spend most of their lives buried underground then emerge as horny, loud, unruly teenagers. Kinda like all those summer camp movies from the 80s. The sound these insects make is unmistakable and to LEGO builder Thomas Jenkins that distinctive sound means summer. This creature is chock full of nice parts usage including an inside-out tire comprising the thorax and a Constraction figure torso used as the abdomen. With the signature red eyes, the wings, and the stance, the end result bears an uncanny resemblance to the real thing.

While their legendary mating calls may be loud and their parties wild and unruly, the cicada lives its life above ground for only a couple of weeks, a month at most. Then they all end up looking quite like this. Fast times indeed.

The Battle of Drumstick Glade

As you know over at The Brothers Brick, we love a good brick build insect. And this LEGO creation by Ted Andes features a lot of them! The ants are completely brick build. They are made out of droid arms, clip claws, t-bars, and bricks with studs on 4 sides. They even have a small gaster made out of tooth plates. We are currently watching a battle between the Blackthorns and the Lavender Leaf ant clans. My bet is the Blackthorns are the black ants and the grey ants are the Lavender Leafs. They are fighting over a half-eaten pheasant leg on the ground. I’ve seen a lot of uses for the curved tapered panel but I’ve never seen it used as a pheasant leg. For the foliage, it looks like Ted dismembered a bunch of LEGO flower bouquets. Which seems like a good cause in this case.

"The Battle of Drumstick Glade"