Skip to content
Aedes aegypti | August 2023

Mike Libby’s Retro-Futuristic Wonders

Mike Libby, a multi-disciplinary artist hailing from the scenic landscapes of Maine, has a portfolio of eclectic sculptures, models, collages, drawings, and installations that radiate meticulous craftsmanship and boundless conceptual curiosity.

Image of Mike Libby
Mike Libby

Libby’s Insect Lab project, born out of a love for science fiction, natural history, and storytelling, has truly turned heads and captured imaginations. It is a marriage of preserved insects and meticulously crafted mechanical components – a series that blurs the lines between science fiction and science fact.

Insect Lab began in the summer of 1998 when Libby stumbled upon a perfectly intact beetle. Drawing parallels between the beetle’s form and that of a mechanical device, Libby decided to combine the two. He dismantled his old broken Mickey Mouse wristwatch and integrated its parts into the structure of the beetle.

But where do these insects come from? Libby’s commitment to ethics and conservation is evident in his sourcing practices. Licensed Dealers provide him with safe, non-endangered specimens from various corners of the world. This ensures that his creations are not only captivating but also environmentally responsible. Additionally, Libby salvages expired insects that cross his path – a bumblebee here, a dragonfly there – all contributing to his art’s organic authenticity.

The mechanical parts, however, have a story of their own. While Libby initially used components from pocket watches and wristwatches, his palette has expanded to include a myriad of discarded machines – sewing machines, locks, lighters, and more, with an intentional emphasis on metal over plastic. Sometimes, these parts come from personal donations, breathing new life into heirlooms or artifacts with sentimental value.

You can learn more about him and his work, by visiting his websites at www.mikelibby.com and insectlabstudio.com, or by following him on Instagram.

Image of a Wasp Sculpture
A huge wasp customized with brass, steel, copper, and aluminum watch parts, gears, sweep hands, springs, antenna, watch jewel, beads and stinger.
Image of a crab sculpture
A peekytoe crab from Maine also known as the Atlantic rock crab, Latin name: Cancridae: cancer irroratus.
Uniquely customized with serrated claws, spring-loaded legs, back end propeller, mouth valve, gemstone set third eye, handmade barnacles with various other mechanical accouterments.
Image of a crab sculpture
Image of a crab sculpture
A dark orange Peruvian grasshopper outfitted with copper, brass and steel springs, watchparts, gears, with a custom patinated antenna and other customizations on the hood, side and flank with side mounted brass and steel boosters.
Image of a dragonfly sculpture.
A large American swamp darner dragonfly with a 4 5/8″ wingspan, outfitted with brass, steel and aluminum mechanical components, springs, balance wheels, gears, watch jewel, including side mounted boosters, back tail rotor, bar linked wings and eye scope.
Image of a dragonfly sculpture.
Image of a gold bug sculpture.
A sturdy golden stag beetle from Indonesia sporting dense brass and steel gears and mechanical assembly and a single chain belt-driven propeller.
Image of a large cicada sculpture.
A large cicada from customized with brass, steel, and copper components, mechanical hardware, sweep hands, side mounted gear, winding stem, crown, wing links and watch jewel third eye set upon the forehead.
Image of a large cicada sculpture.

*All images are copyright © Mike Libby, unless otherwise stated.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Public Health Landscape or Valent BioSciences, LLC.

More from Aedes aegypti | August 2023

Dr. Raman Velayudhan: Combating Deadly Mosquitoes

Dr. Raman Velayudhan is a seasoned expert in the public health field and a relentless advocate for combating the global threat of mosquito-borne diseases.

Currently at the helm of the Veterinary Public Health, Vector Control, and Environment unit within the Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases at the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Velayudhan’s impact is far-reaching.

The Importance of World Dengue Day

Mosquito-borne Diseases & the Environment

Climate change and human activity are enabling the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, like dengue fever, to new places. Stanford infectious disease experts and disease ecologists discuss what we know and how communities can protect themselves from these changing disease threats.

Aedes aegypti: Beyond the Black and White

One look at Aedes aegypti gives an immediate impression of its menacing nature. The telltale dark and white bands on the mosquito’s legs and other body parts bring a sense of foreboding and hardship. Sleek, silent, and stealthy, Ae. aegypti is the primary vector for several important, debilitating, and sometimes fatal human diseases including dengue, Zika virus, yellow fever, and chikungunya. The species is cause for mounting concern on many levels, as its biology, behavior, and ability to adapt have made Aedes aegypti one of the most pervasive and daunting public health challenges in the modern world.

The first mosquito ever associated with the spread of disease, Ae. aegypti is also the most studied of all mosquito species.1 From its humble beginnings in the African wild to a footprint that spans the globe, this durable and opportunistic insect has become a formidable opponent of vector control efforts worldwide.