Are Bug Under Glass Specimens Real Insects, and How Are They Sourced?

Yes. Bug Under Glass sells real butterflies, beetles, moths, cicadas and other insects—not replicas or printed facsimiles. Each piece is hand-mounted and framed in Sonoma County, California, by founder Kevin Clarke, a conservation biologist with an M.S. in Conservation Biology who did field research in South Africa and worked at the California Academy of Sciences before starting the company in 2002. Specimens come from conservation farms, breeders and museum collections, and every frame carries a natural history card on the back explaining the specimen's story.

What "real" means for each product type

The shop's catalog is organized so you can tell what you're buying before you order:

The Skeleton Butterflies™ line is worth noting if authenticity is your concern: the wings are the actual specimen's wings after descaling, not a printed pattern. Dioramas are the one category where the "real" part is the insect itself—the surrounding scene is constructed.

How the specimens are sourced

The site states specimens come from three channels: conservation farms, breeders, and museum collections. Two things follow from that:

• Farmed and breeder-sourced specimens are the standard path for ethically sourced insect art—the insects are raised for this purpose rather than taken from wild populations.
• Museum collection specimens account for pieces that aren't available through farming.

The company publishes a dedicated sourcing page ("How we source specimens"), which is the place to check if you need detail on a specific species or collection before buying. If ethical sourcing is a deciding factor for you, read that page against the specific piece you're considering rather than assuming every listing follows the same path.

How each piece is made

Every frame is mounted and assembled by hand in the Sonoma County workshop. The framing itself is part of the product, not an afterthought:

• 99% UV-blocking glass — the stated purpose is protecting specimen colors from fading
• Archival, acid-free materials — chosen so the piece is "built to last generations"
• Natural history card on the back — identifies the specimen and tells its story

For a buyer, the UV glass and archival materials are the two specs that matter most for longevity. A framed insect displayed in direct sun will fade regardless of glass quality, so treat the 99% figure as protection under normal indoor display, not a license to hang it in a bright window.

What it costs and how fast it ships

Current listed prices for customer-favorite pieces:

Shipping is free within the US and orders ship in 1–2 business days. New specimens are added every few weeks, so availability shifts—a piece you see today may not be restocked on the same timeline.

How to verify before you buy

1. Check the product page for the species name. Listings use scientific names (e.g., Ascia buniae for the Great Southern White), which lets you confirm you're getting a described species rather than a generic "butterfly."
2. Read the sourcing page if provenance matters for your purchase—especially for museum-sourced pieces.
3. Check the back-card description in listing photos where shown; it's the company's own record of what the specimen is.
4. Look at review volume as a signal, not proof. The site cites 18,000+ five-star reviews and links to Etsy, where reviews are tied to verified purchases—useful for judging packing quality and arrival condition, which is the most common concern with fragile framed specimens.

Common sticking points

• "Is it a print?" No—but the dioramas and Skeleton Butterflies™ are the two lines most likely to prompt the question, so read those listings carefully.
• Fading over time. The UV glass helps, but placement still matters. Keep frames out of direct sunlight.
• Availability. Because specimens are added in batches every few weeks, a specific species may sell out; the "Just arrived" section is where new stock appears first.
• Shipping damage. Multiple reviews specifically praise packaging and protection, which is the practical thing to watch for given glass frames.

If your goal is a genuine, documented specimen with a known maker and a stated sourcing policy, the site provides enough information to confirm that before ordering. If you need species-level provenance for a particular piece, the sourcing page and the product listing are the two places to check first.