# Beetle Wing Jewelry

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beetle-wing-jewelry/324226>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 30, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beetle-wing-jewelry/324226 "2005-09-30T17:33:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beetle-wing-jewelry/324226/1 "2005-09-30T17:33:22Z")

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While web surfing, I recently stumbled across jewelry that’s made with beetle wings – yes, actual wings from actual beetles. I am wondering whether the iridescent colors would fade over time, or whether the wings would crumble into dust.

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**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beetle-wing-jewelry/324226/2 "2005-09-30T17:53:59Z")

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This [Thai web site](http://thailand.prd.go.th/ebook/queen/content/content_chitralada.html) says

> [@](#):
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> Beetle wings are durable and nonperishable in normal, non-abusive use. Although the cloth the wings embellish has turned old and been long discarded, the beetle wings still retain their natural sparkle.

Has anyone here actually had such a thing?

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**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beetle-wing-jewelry/324226/3 "2005-09-30T18:06:18Z")

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The Google Ads say–

> [@](#):
>
> Save On Raid® Products  
> Sign up free e-news from SC Johnson And print $1.50 coupon off Raid®.

Somebody does like this idea, possibly OG.

😃

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**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beetle-wing-jewelry/324226/4 "2005-09-30T18:31:09Z")

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**ratatoskK** , that link is bad. Pity, I’d love to see jewellery like that.

I dunno about the durability of the colors, but I DO know that some insects can live 1-2 years, and they’re beating and flapping their wings all the time, twigs scratch them, etc. So they must be pretty strong. Butterfly wings become a little faded, but that’s because they covered with a powdery substance. Dragonfly wings stay pretty. Just look at any insect-collection that’s older then 15 years.

I once made a pair of earrrings with fish scales that I found on the beach. The material resembled thin cut fingernails, with a silvery pearl finish. They’ve stayed pretty for over a year. (in fact, fish scales must have been used as sequins on constumes before the 19’th century)

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**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beetle-wing-jewelry/324226/5 "2005-09-30T20:03:44Z")

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Here’s a [picture of a specimen](http://insects.oeb.harvard.edu/MCZ/FMPro?-DB=Image.fm&-Lay=web&-Format=images.htm&Species_ID=11&-Find) at Harvard, collected in 1857. It still looks pretty good! And [here](http://insects.oeb.harvard.edu/MCZ/FMPro?-DB=Image.fm&-Lay=web&-Format=images.htm&Species_ID=18649&-Find) is one from 1903. [Here’s the list](http://mcz-28168.oeb.harvard.edu/mcz/best_images.htm) of all their images. The beetles are under Coleoptera.