http://www.collembola.org/doc/art.htm - Last updated on 2024.08.20 by Frans Janssens
Checklist of the Collembola: Collembola Artwork Digital Artwork

Please note that this Collembola Artwork gallery is still under construction...

Preface

This is a chronological overview of my personal collection of and pointers to art objects inspired by Collembola.

Artistic records of Collembola

Immortalité du Dalianus Galae
Dali, S. © 1973.

Dali, S. 1973.
Immortalité du Dalianus Galae

In "Dix recettes d'immortalité". A gravure of Dalianus galae printed on Japanese paper, made by Salvador Dali. The image is surrounded by a narrative in Dali's personal esotheric language.
Photographs by Plazzart, 2020.

Dix recettes d'immortalité (Ten Recipes for Immortality) was conceived, written and illustrated by Salvador Dali in Port Lligat, Paris and New York in 1971-1972.

Immortalité du Dalianus Galae. "Voici encore une recette : truffer l'Immortalité molle en la saupoudrant de Dalianus Galae desséché de vie léthargique."
Immortalité du Dalianus Galae
Dali, S. © 1973.
Immortalité du Dalianus Galae
Dali, S. © 1973.
Thanks to Philippe Garcelon for pointing this out.

The Carol Singers
Flahey, B. © 1982.

Flahey, B. 1982.
The Carol Singers

'The Carol Singers', a pen and ink cartoon, made by the Canadian scientific artist Barry Flahey, who is famous for his entmological artwork. It includes a scene in which an Isotomurus palustris specimen is performing a jump to join the Christmas Carol Singers.
Photograph by José G. Palacios-Vargas, 2023.

The Skaters
Flahey, B. © 1984.

Flahey, B. 1984.
The Skaters

'The Skaters', a pen and ink cartoon, made by the Canadian scientific artist Barry Flahey, who is famous for his entmological artwork, refers to the Rideau Canal Skateway of Ottawa, Canada. It includes a scene in which a Bourletiella hortensis specimen is trying to rescue its companion from a Berlese funnel catch.
Photograph by José G. Palacios-Vargas, 2023.

Roze Collembietenvanger
Ribley! 1995.

Ribley! 1995.
Roze Collembietenvanger

'Roze Collembietenvanger' made by the Belgian assemblage sculptor from Antwerp, Ribley!, representing me, myself and I, practising the art of Collembola collecting.
The resemblance is more then striking.
Photograph by William Moerenhout, 2002.
Sminthurus pilleatus
Yao, A.-L. & Kluge, G. © 1995

An-Ly Yao & Götz Kluge. 1995.
Sminthurus pilleatus

Sminthurus pilleatus. Cartoon drawing by An-Ly Yao & Götz Kluge, 1995.
You might also want to visit the webpage on Sminthurus pilleatus of artist Götz Kluge.

Collembola XXL
Van Rooyen, M. 1998.

Marc Van Rooyen. 1998.
Collembola XXL

Frans Janssens
& Sint Nicolas. 1998.
This sculpture of an eXtra eXtra Large springtail was offered to me by Linda Van Heymbeeck and Staf Leysen at the occasion of a Sint Nicolas party on 1998.12.06. Note: Sint Nicolas is the one with the white beard...
The sculpture is designed and made by Marc Van Rooyen.
Photograph by Linda Van Heymbeek, 1998.

Collembolan fantasy
Janssens, F. 1999.

Frans Janssens. 1999.
Collembolan fantasy

Collembola POV-Ray raytracer artwork by Frans Janssens © 1999.
Sminthurus pilleatus
Chen, S. 2000.
Sminthurus pilleatus
in natural habitat.
Moerenhout, W. © 2001

Sophia Chen. 2000.
Sminthurus pilleatus

I received from Goetz Kluge a bright sparkling specimen of Sminthurus pilleatus, an exquisite Collembolan.
Jewellery design by Sophia Chen, 2000.
In the beginning of 2001, our Sminthurus pilleatus specimen escaped unexpectedly... After an extensive search, it was found in his natural habitat.
Photograph by William Moerenhout, 2001.

Dwalen
Gie Wyckmans. 2001
Dwalen

dwalen door de paginas van Frans Janssens....
kwelen hoog de vogelaars
en vind geen discrepancies
die lapt furcula aan de laars
en nonsens
en janssens
spring
springt
hoe zit de steel weer aan de vork
hork hork

euh

Gie Wyckmans. 2001.
Dwalen

Gie Wyckmans, obviously in a Paul Van Ostaijen mood, made this little poem after he lost his way in the website on 2001.03.22.

Verdwalen
Lieven De Bremme. 2002

Verdwalen

Dwalend door mijn gedachten
naar een plek hier ver vandaan
Waar collembolen op hem wachten
en Frans op zoek is naar gegaan

Marina die hem tot in Sneem
op zijn tocht vergezelde
en op het huwelijkspad
Heeft Frans het allemaal gehad?

In Galway tot Marina's groot verdriet           
De Frans, we vonden hem niet
Hij wachtte ons op aan de wagen
en dorst hij te vragen

Dorst,
met G en W de hele nacht
steeds terug naar Marina
of wat had je anders gedacht

Das Gedicht is heute fertig
und der Frans schon Fufzig

Lieven De Bremme. 2002.
Verdwalen

Clearly inspired by Gie Wyckmans, and being in a nostalgic Irish mood, Lieven De Bremme made this poem at the ocassion of my birthday on 2002.01.18, in a compulsive burst of creativity, while he was travelling from Ghent to Antwerp.

Boredomresearch. 2002.
Springtails

A virtual instrument based on the behaviour of a springtail colony.
Springtails is a colony of e-springtails which react when touched. Touch the e-springtail with your cursor and they catapult, entrap them in a spring and it chimes. This soundwork combines human interaction with autonomous behavior. The e-springtails respond to both the cursor and each other, compiling their own sound composition - this enables each performance to be unique.

Peter N. Lawrence. 2002.02.25.
Springtail

Poem by Peter N. Lawrence
Colly the Springtail
Stearns, V. © 2003.

Virginia Stears. 2003.
Colly the Springtail

Isotomidae. Fabric and wire art by Virginia Stears © 2003.
Springstaart
Meves, M. © 2004.

Marianne Meves. 2004.
Springstaart

Sminthurides. Oil painting by Marianne Meves © 2004.
Isotoma viridis
Burkhardt H. © 2005.

Hermann Burkhardt. 2005.05.06.
Isotoma viridis

Isotoma viridis. Woodcarving art by Hermann Burkhardt © 2005.
Denisiella
Palacios-Vargas, J.G. © 2008

José G. Palacios-Vargas. 2008.02.12.
Denisiella

Denisiella sp. Glass art by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2008.
Water world
Fleming, K.R. © 2008

Kimberly Rama Fleming. 2008.03.02.
Water world

Sminthurinus sp. on dewdrop in spiderweb.
Palmanura
Palacios-Vargas, J.G. © 2008

José G. Palacios-Vargas. 2008.03.07.
Palmanura

Palmanura sp. Glass art by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2008.
Colour bleeds
Valentine, B. © 2008

Brian Valentine. 2008.11.12.
Colour bleeds

Dicyrtomina ornata. Artistic photographic impression by Brian Valentine © 2008.
Ghostly Globular
Dawes, D. © 2008

David Dawes. 2008.11.18.
Ghostly Globular

Dicyrtomina sp. Artistic photographic impression by David Dawes © 2008.
The Alter Ego
Baas, A.H. © 2008

Ab H. Baas. 2008.11.19.
The Alter Ego

Isotomurus maculatus. Artistic photographic impression by Ab H. Baas © 2008.
On Fire
Valentine, B. © 2008

Brian Valentine. 2008.12.01.
On Fire

Dicyrtomina sp. Artistic photographic impression by Brian Valentine © 2008.
Springtail on my doorstep
Bradford. A. © 2008

Sherri bluedot11. 2008.12.08.
Springtail on my doorstep

Dicyrtomina bluedotii(sic) Bradford, 2008.
Artistic craftwork by Sherri bluedot11.
Photograph by Ashley Bradford © 2008.
Shortneck Collembit
Ribley!. © 2009.

Ribley!. 2009.04.23.
Shortneck Collembit

'Shortneck Collembit' from the planet Mehlodia made by the Belgian assemblage sculptor from Antwerp, Ribley!, representing the giant extant species of Colembolala from Mehlodia.
Petrified Longneck Collembit
Ribley!. © 2009.

Ribley!. 2009.04.23.
Petrified Longneck Collembit

'Petrified Longneck Collembit' from the planet Mehlodia made by the Belgian assemblage sculptor from Antwerp, Ribley!, representing a fossil specimen of the precursor of the 'Shortneck Collembit' from Mehlodia.
Sminthurid
Palacios-Vargas, J.G. © 2009

Anonymous. 2009.06.dd.
Sminthurid

Sminthurid. Bronze pin of about 3 cm long, acquired by José G. Palacios-Vargas at the Entomological meeting of the American Society at Indianapolis. José G. Palacios-Vargas© 2009.
Fibonaci perturbator
Martin Thum © 2009

Martin Thum. 2009.07.02.
Fibonaci perturbator

Symphypleona. Artistic photographic impression by Martin Thum © 2009.
Bourletiella plumbica
Palacios-Vargas, J.G. © 2009

José G. Palacios-Vargas. 2009.07.18.
Bourletiella plumbica

Bourletiella plumbica. Glass art by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2009.
An important piece of insect history
Brigette "Weirdbuglady" © 2009

Brigette "Weirdbuglady". 2009.08.02.
An important piece of insect history

Rhyniella praecursor. A blue on white sharpie marker artistic reproduction of the reconstruction from Grimaldi D. & Engel M.S (2005:116) of the fossil springtail Rhyniella praecursor by Brigette "Weirdbuglady" © 2009.
Giant carrot springtail
Shadowshador © 2009

Shadowshador. 2009.08.30.
Giant carrot springtail

Daucus calatola. Carrot carving art by Shadowshador © 2009.
The snow fleas bobsleigh team
Brigette "Weirdbuglady" © 2010

Brigette "Weirdbuglady". 2010.02.16.
The snow fleas bobsleigh team

Hypogastrura sp. A plush custom crafted creation of snow fleas, an entry for the Schmancy Olympic Challenge in the bobsleigh category, by Brigette "Weirdbuglady" © 2010.
Seira mexicana
José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2010

José G. Palacios-Vargas. 2010.mm.dd
Seira mexicana

Seira mexicana. Mural tile art by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2010.
Sphyrotheca azuleja
José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2010

José G. Palacios-Vargas. 2010.mm.dd.
Sphyrotheca azuleja

Sphyrotheca azuleja. Mural tile art by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2010.
Collembola psychedelica
Brittany Rae Benson © 2012

Brittany Rae Benson. 2012.05.22.
Collembola psychedelica

Collembola psychedelica. Artistic drawing by Brittany Rae Benson © 2012.
Sorting the droplets
Brian Valentine © 2012

Brian Valentine. 2012.07.22.
Sorting the droplets

Deuterosminthurus pallipes forma repanda. Artistic photographic impression by Brian Valentine © 2012.
Collembola jewellery from Japan
José Palacios-Vargas © 2012

Saori Fujii. 2012.08.20.
Collembola jewellery from Japan

Collembola indeterminata. Jewellery from Japan by Saori Fujii © 2012.
Photograph by José Palacios-Vargas.
"La cueva del colémbolo" from Mexico
José Palacios-Vargas © 2013

Alberto Maldonado. 2012.mm.dd.
La cueva del colémbolo from Mexico

Neelidae. One of a series of graphite on paper drawings from Mexico by Alberto Maldonado © 2012.
Presented at the XI National Mexican Congress of Speleology at Yucatán, February 2013.
Photograph by José Palacios-Vargas © 2013.
Collembolacollaboration
Kluge, G. & Yao, A.-L. © 2013

Götz Kluge & An-Ly Yao. 2013.09.01.
Collembolacollaboration

Collembolacollaboration. Computer screen background tile for wallpapers by Kluge, G. & Yao, A.-L., 2013.
Golden planet
Ed Phillips © 2013

Ed Phillips. 2013.11.10.
Golden Planet

Sminthurinus aureus from the UK. Artistic photographic impression by Ed Phillips © 2013.
Special sweets to hang on your Christmas tree
Darek Skarzynski © 2013

Darek Skarzynski. 2013.12.23.
Special sweets to hang on your Christmas tree

Hypogastruridae from Poland. Artistic biscuitery by Darek Skarzynski © 2013.
Ghost
Karol Beck © 2014

Karol Beck. 2014.05.26.
Ghost

Orchesella cincta from Germany, Lower Saxony, Voxtrup. Artistic photographic impression by Karol Beck © 2014.
Banksy was here!
Karol Beck © 2014

Karol Beck. 2014.11.29.
Banksy was here!

Dicyrtomina ornata from Germany, Lower Saxony, Natbergen. Artistic photographic impression by Karol Beck © 2014.
Nele
Doris Jensch © 2015

Doris Jensch. 2015.11.23.
Nele

Collembola from Germany, NABU Umweltwerkstatt, Wetterau. Educational drawing by Doris Jensch © 2015.
Entomobrya knuffel
Rik Delhem © 2016
Roos and Entomobrya cuddling
Rik Delhem © 2016

Rik Delhem. 2016.01.29.
Entomobrya knuffel

Entomobrya knuffel. A plush custom crafted creation of an Entomobrya, a gift from the collegues for the birth of daughter Roos. Photographs by Rik Delhem © 2016.
Stormy Wheather
Harald Berner © 2016

Harald Berner. 2016.04.12.
Stormy Wheather

Ceratophysella sp. mass aggregation from Germany, Upper Bavaria. A mass aggregation of Ceratophysella sp. on the surface of flowing water creating a wheather forecast map with stormy depressions (note Spain and France to the left). Photograph by Harald Berner © 2016.
The World of Collembola
Jan van Leeuwen © 2016

Jan van Leeuwen. 2016.11.05.
The World of Collembola

Sminthurus viridis ssp. cinereoviridis from Holland. Artistic photographic impression by Jan van Leeuwen © 2016.
Palmanura key holder
Palacios-Vargas, J.G. © 2018

Angela Arango. 2018.02.27.
Palmanura key holder

Palmanura sp. from Mexico. Fabric art by Angela Arango © 2018.
Photograph by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2018.
Vitronura key holder
Palacios-Vargas, J.G. © 2018

Angela Arango. 2018.03.04.
Vitronura key holder

Vitronura sp. from Mexico. Fabric art by Angela Arango © 2018.
Photograph by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2018.

Entomobrya boliviana
by Francisco Eduardo Ruiz Pazos
Maria Rene Vacaflores Argandoña © 2018

Francisco Eduardo Ruiz Pazos. 2018.07.06.
Entomobrya boliviana

Entomobrya sp. from Bolivia. Aquarel painting by Francisco Eduardo Ruiz Pazos. © 2018.
For José G. Palacios-Vargas.
Photograph by Maria Rene Vacaflores Argandoña © 2018.

Friesea predatora
by José Luis Navarrete
José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2018

José Luis Navarrete. 2018.07.06.
Friesea predatora

Friesea sp. from Mexico, Guadalajara. Oil on wood painting by José Luis Navarrete. © 2018.
For José G. Palacios-Vargas.
Photograph by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2018.

Protaphorura boliviana Arrhopalites boliviana Orchesella boliviana
by Francisco Eduardo Ruiz Pazos
Maria Rene Vacaflores Argandoña © 2018

Francisco Eduardo Ruiz Pazos. 2018.07.18.
Protaphorura boliviana Arrhopalites boliviana Orchesella boliviana

Protaphorura sp., Arrhopalites sp. & Orchesella sp. from Bolivia. Aquarel painting by Francisco Eduardo Ruiz Pazos. © 2018.
Photograph by Maria Rene Vacaflores Argandoña © 2018.

Podura aquatica
by Abraham Rodríguez
José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2019

Abraham Rodríguez. 2019.03.12.
Podura aquatica

Podura aquatica from Mexico. In avocado seed engraved and painted with vinyl paint by Abraham Rodríguez. © 2019.
Photograph by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2019.

Arches
by Alifie Rojas
José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2019

Alifie Rojas. 2019.11.01.
Arches

Dicyrtomidae and Entomobryomorpha on Fissidens sublimbatus from Mexico. Aquarel painting on paper by Alifie Rojas © 2019.
Photograph by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2019.

Across the pond
Sarah Bird © 2020

Sarah Bird. 2020.
Across the pond

Sminthurus sp. from Canada, British Columbia, Victoria. Artistic painting by Sarah Bird, inspired by her interest in fantasy and having seen a springtail hitching a ride on a harvestman's leg.

Katianna filatelia
by José G. Palacios-Vargas
José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2020

José G. Palacios-Vargas. 2020.03.09.
Katianna filatelia

Katianna filatelia with worlwide distribution. Filately art by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2020.
Photograph by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2020.

Collembola in the four elements of nature
by José G. Palacios-Vargas
José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2020

José G. Palacios-Vargas. 2020.04.13.
Collembola in the four elements of nature

Collembola in the four elements of nature. Stained glass art by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2020.
Photograph by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2020.

Collembola are cool
Life Science Studios © 2020

Life Science Studios. 2020.07.01.
Collembola are cool

Anurida maritima jumping without furca using the surface tension of the waterfilm. Artistic drawing by Life Science Studios 2020.

Collembola Street Art
Philibert © 2020

Collembola Street Art
Philibert © 2020

Philibert. 2020.09.dd
Collembola Graffiti

Collembola (Sminthurus and 'Neanuridae') from France. Street art fresco's on the wall of the primary school "Les Balmes" at Fontaine, near Grenoble, by Philibert 2020.
Images shared by Philippe Garcelon 2021.04.27.
Note artistic freedom 1. in the identification of figure b : it is a Coleoptera larva identified as Isotominae (note external mouthparts). 2. in the representation of the claws in figure d : claws represented in parallel in stead of opposite. 3. in figure a and d : the anal segment is marked in error as 'collophore'.

Apollo 13
Olivier Jouaud Naka Photographie © 2020

Olivier Jouaud Naka Photographie. 2020.11.26.
Apollo 13

Dicyrtomina sp. from France. Artistic photographic impression by Olivier Jouaud Naka Photographie 2020.

Soil Sample
Will Atkins © 2020

Will Atkins. 2020.12.30.
Soil Sample

Collembola from the UK. Artistic ink drawing by Will Atkins 2020.

Sminthurinus lawrencei
Marie-Louise Huskens © 2021

Marie-Louise Huskens. 2021.08.10.
Sminthurinus lawrencei

Sminthurinus lawrencei from Belgium. Artistic paper art by Marie-Louise Huskens 2021.

Springtails
Brian Chan © 2022

Brian Chan. 2022.12.06.
Springtails

Collembola from the USA. Artistic origami art by Brian Chan 2022.
Folded from single uncut squares of paper.

Soil Food Webs Feed the World cup cake
Holly Deighton & al.
Western University Canada Ontario © 2022

Soil Food Webs Feed the World cup cake
Holly Deighton & al.
Western University Canada Ontario © 2022

Holly Deighton & al. 2022.12.15.
Soil Food Webs Feed the World

Collembola from Canada. Artistic cup cakes by the Western University Canada Ontario 2022.
Lab-mates Holly Deighton (PhD), Trevor Pettit (MSc), Pedro Conceicao (MSc), Cristina Turcu (MSc), Sam Hopkins (MSc) and Eileen Reinke (MSc) with Zoë Lindo (PI) made this cake. They spent lab meetings during the fall term planning the cake to represent nodes of the soil food web. The cake base was two square chocolate cakes (as the basal resource for the food web) with French vanilla cupcakes decorated with sculpted chocolate figures to depict the different taxonomic groups. Trophic interactions are represented by red licorice between cupcakes. It tasted very sweet.

Soil Food Webs Feed the World cup cake
Holly Deighton & al.
Western University Canada Ontario © 2022
For the cake it was chosen to focus on the soil biodiversity and their interactions with each other represents how carbon and other nutrients flow through the food web that ultimately regulates soil fertility and soil carbon stocks. The trophic groups (cupcakes) present are: bacteria, fungi, protists, fungal-feeding nematodes, bacteria-feeding nematodes, prostigmatid mites, oribatid mites, Collembola, omnivorous nematodes, predatory nematodes, nematode-feeding mites (Zerconiidae) and arthropod feeding mites (other Mesostigmata). Cupcake colour represents trophic level where the base chocolate cake is the detritus or basal resource, blue is primary decomposers, yellow is secondary decomposers, orange is omnivorous, and pink are predators. These 12 trophic groups form a simplified soil food web found in most soils across the world. Our food web is specifically modelled after Boreal peatlands where many of us perform our research. Peatlands cover 13% of Canada's land surface, and most are found in the boreal zone; it is estimated that they contain 59% of Canada's stored soil organic carbon. Thus, it is important to understand how soil carbon is cycled through the soil food web and used by soil biodiversity.

Symphypleona
by Shamari E. Vázquez
José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2023

Shamari E. Vázquez. 2023.05.24.
Symphypleona

Symphypleona from Mexico. Aquarel painting on paper by Shamari E. Vázquez © 2023.
Photograph by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2023.

Sminthurus aquarel
by Kevin A. Jaimes
José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2023

Sminthurus tattoo
by Kevin A. Jaimes
José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2023

Kevin A Jaimes. 2023.05.24.
Sminthurus

Sminthurus from Mexico. Aquarel painting on canvas and tattoo by Kevin A Jaimes © 2023.
Photograph by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2023.

Symphypleona
by Pacheco, E.
José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2023.06.10

Pacheco, E. 2023.06.10.
Symphypleona

Symphypleona from Mexico. Design of a print on a thermos in honour of Dr J.G. Palacios-Vargas by Eduardo Pacheco © 2023.
Photograph by José G. Palacios-Vargas © 2023.

Make sure to visit also our Digital Artwork gallery, dedicated to digitally postprocessed images of Collembola:
Collembola Digital Artwork
Valentine, B. © 2008