Our founder, Clarisse, started Insect Emporium because of a lifelong fascination with the natural world. She is currently pursuing a PhD in genetics, working on critical ecological conservation work affecting hundreds of Australian amphibian species. She works alongside her mum and partner.

We specialise in insect preservation and display, offering a range of exotic Lepidoptera (butterflies & moths), as well as other, non-insect species (spiders, scorpions, and so on).

In-person, we can be found on Saturdays and Sundays at the Rose St. Artists’ Market in Melbourne/Naarm. Come visit us, or browse our online selection here!

Where do our specimens come from?

Over the years, we have developed a network of overseas conservation farms (more on Ethics below) who provide our unmounted specimens; our work is in preserving, carefully mounting, and displaying these specimens in frames, domes, or artistic displays.

Most of our specimens come from Southeast Asia (particularly Indonesia & Thailand), Peru, Madagascar, and, occasionally, parts of Western Europe. The origin of each specimen is listed on its corresponding page. All specimens are imported in accordance with Australian law.

Do we source our specimens ethically.

None of the specimens we offer are CITES-listed or endangered in any way. In almost all cases, they are sourced from ‘conservation farms’ — institutions which breed large numbers of butterflies and moths, selling some as specimens for collectors, and releasing others to support wild populations. Many of our suppliers operate from developing nations, and the business helps to support their livelihoods.

Ethics is always a prickly subject. Our products are animal products. Because insects breed in vast numbers, however, collecting them in responsible ways causes minimal environmental damage when compared to, say, farming vertebrate animals for food or clothing. Insects are also anatomically simpler than vertebrates, meaning that euthanising them in an ethical manner is easier. Usually, this is done either by freezing the insect (which, because they are ectotherms, anaesthetises them) or by ethyl acetate, which euthanises them almost instantly.

Can we provide unmounted specimens, or mounted specimens without frames.

Yes. Please contact us if you would like to purchase any of the listed specimens unmounted (so you can mount them yourself), or if you would like us to mount a specimen for an existing display.