Phosphorus Beetle (Phosphorus virescens)

The name says it all, almost. Phosphorus virescens is a large Southeast Asian longhorn beetle whose subtle greenish exoskeleton - hinted at by its species name, meaning 'becoming green' - gives it a distinctive, nearly luminous quality under the right light.

Phosphorus virescens is found in tropical forests across the Malay Archipelago, including Indonesia and Malaysia, where it is associated with broadleaf trees. Like most longhorn beetles, its larvae are wood-borers, developing inside the trunks and branches of living or recently dead trees over an extended period. Adults are primarily nocturnal and are strongly attracted to light - a habit that brings them into frequent contact with human settlements at the edges of forested areas. Their large size and dramatic antennae make them conspicuous visitors.

The longhorn beetle family is one of the most species-rich groups in the entire insect order, with over 35,000 described species worldwide. Many are important in forest ecology, their larvae playing a key role in breaking down wood and recycling nutrients. Phosphorus virescens is among the more imposing members of the family in its region, and its name - shared with the chemical element associated with light - lends it an air of quiet drama that its nocturnal habits do nothing to dispel.

Bugs is a collection of natural history illustration prints drawn from the insect world - beetles, flies, bugs, butterflies, and moths selected for the strangeness, beauty, and variety of their forms.

Each illustration is adapted from Simon Tyler's book Bugs, published by Pavilion in 2017 and subsequently published in French and Chinese. The series draws on the tradition of scientific natural history illustration - precise, considered, and attentive to the details that make each species distinctive.

Insects account for the majority of all known animal species on Earth. This collection is a small survey of what that diversity looks like.

All prints are produced to order on 250gsm archival matte paper using pigment-based inks, chosen for colour accuracy and long-term stability.

Each print is rolled in acid-free tissue and shipped in a rigid cardboard tube, sealed for moisture protection, ready for framing on arrival.

Large · 50 × 70 cm · 20 × 28 in

XLarge · 70 × 100 cm · 28 × 40 in

UK: Free · 3-5 working days

Europe: €8.50 · 3-7 working days · No customs charges

USA & Canada: $8.95 / $12.00 CAD · 5-10 working days

Australia: $14.00 AUD · 5-10 working days

Rest of World: £14.95 · 7-14 working days

All prints are produced to order and dispatched within 1-3 working days. Orders placed before 5pm GMT ship the same day. You'll receive tracking information by email once dispatched.

Orders outside Europe may be subject to local customs charges on delivery - these are the responsibility of the recipient.

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Returns accepted within 30 days. Email returns@axisophy.com with your order number and we'll provide return instructions.

Return postage is the customer's responsibility except where the print arrives damaged or there's been an error - in which case we'll arrange a replacement or refund immediately, no return needed.

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