Moth – Madagascan Sunset Moth (Chrysiridia rhipheus)
The Madagascan Sunset Moth (Chrysiridia rhipheus) appears here in dazzling colour — a day-flying moth famous for its brilliant, multi-coloured wings. Endemic to Madagascar, it shimmers with iridescent greens, blues, oranges, and reds created not by pigment but by microscopic wing scales that scatter light. This structural colour gives the moth a shifting, jewel-like appearance as it moves through sunlight.
Unlike most moths, the Sunset Moth is active by day and is often mistaken for a butterfly thanks to its bright palette and quick, fluttering flight. With a wingspan of up to nine centimetres, it’s found throughout much of Madagascar except the arid south, migrating seasonally in search of Omphalea host plants. Its striking colours serve both as a signal to mates and a warning to predators — an honest display of toxicity inherited from its caterpillar’s diet.
Celebrated by collectors and naturalists around the world, this species has long been considered one of the most beautiful insects ever described. Its wing scales create colours that shift with angle and light, a vivid example of the physics behind structural colour and one of nature’s most remarkable optical designs.
Bugs Series
Bugs gathers illustrations adapted from and inspired by founder Simon Tyler's book Bugs, published by Pavilion Children’s Books in 2017. The series celebrates the graphic elegance of insect life: armour-like exoskeletons, iridescent wings, compound eyes, and the ingenious mechanics of movement and camouflage. It’s a visual field guide reimagined—clean, bold forms and carefully tuned palettes that bring structure to the surface.
Each piece begins with the research-led drawings from the book and then goes further: refined linework, rebalanced composition, and subtle textural detailing designed for generous print sizes. The aim is clarity and presence — images that feel scientifically grounded yet striking on the wall. Printed with the same archival care as our other series, Bugs turns natural history into crisp, enduring graphic art.
Printing & Materials
Our Bugs series is produced in collaboration with specialist fine-art printing partners using museum-grade 250 gsm archival giclée paper.
Each print is made to order with exceptional precision and colour accuracy, using pigment-based inks for long-term stability and rich tonal depth.
Prints are carefully rolled in acid-free tissue and shipped in rigid cardboard tubes to ensure they arrive in perfect condition, ready for framing.
All materials and processes are chosen for their longevity, texture, and fidelity to the original artwork, reflecting our commitment to quality and craft.