|
Return to the gallery home
page.
Oxypyris mifune
("quick or sharp" "fire" "Mifune")
Click to zoom in.
Specimen #01123, 4/9/2001
Wingspan: 4 inches
Composition: 12 karat gold filled wire, black copper
wire, red copper wire, steel utility blades, 23 karat gold
leaf, glow in the dark plastic
Collection site: Devil's Tower, Wyoming
Comments: Yes, it glows in the dark. The enzyme fireflies
use to produce light is called luciferase. Both sets of wings
are actually blades -- the upper set is fire-blued and then
gold leafed around the edges. Somehow this layered, braided
look reminds me of a tiny samurai.
|
