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fossilforager.bsky.social
Nicole 🪲
@fossilforager.bsky.social
18K followers 500 following 2.2K posts
Naturalist & illustrator based in California 🌸
Draws bugs & other critters (she/her)

🛒🐛: shop.fossilforager.art
global 🛒🐝: fossilforagershop.etsy.com
Links to my Patreon sticker club, newsletter, & more: fossilforager.carrd.co
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fossilforager.bsky.social
Nicole 🪲 @fossilforager.bsky.social · Oct 18
Hi everyone! I’m Nicole! I’m an illustrator & designer who is incredibly passionate about ecology and creatures! I love making art and merch for all nature lovers, whether you’re a hobbyist or scientist! 🦋🌱

💼 fossilforager.art
🛒 shop.fossilforager.art
An illustrated taxonomy poster featuring native bees found in North America, illustrated on a light periwinkle-blue background. The bees are all illustrated in various poses on native wildflowers or according to their species-specific behaviors. From top to bottom, left to right, there is the yellow-faced bumblebee, the orchard mason bee, the blueberry cellophane bee, the common long-horned bee, the western leaf cutter bee, the bumblebee-like digger bee, the bicolored sweat bee, and the eastern carpenter bee. An illustration of a humpback whale skeleton laying on the sea floor, surrounded by pink octopuses, rat-tailed fish, a giant isopod, a grooved tanner cab, and hagfish! They are illustrated on a dark blue background. An illustrated tiled pattern showing 6 species of salamanders and newts native to California arranged on a light blue background. They are mostly earthy brown, orange, yellow, and black. There are water droplets, sorrel, and redwood leaf litter scattered in between the amphibians.
Reposted by Nicole 🪲
fossilforager.bsky.social
Happy Valentine’s Day! 💖
Title of infographic: Gift Giving is the Love Language for Ornate Bella Moths “Ornate bella moth females mate with multiple males over the course of their 3-4 week adult lifespan. In each sexual encounter, she will receive a nuptial gift from the male called a spermatophore.” An illustration of an ornate Bella moth, a colorful orange and cream colored moth with black spots, is surrounded by valentine’s presents and a chocolate heart. The tags on her gifts read: TO: BELLA <3 - JACOB FROM: EDWARD XOXO Text continues: “This gift contains sperm, nutrients to help the female lay her eggs, and toxic alkaloid compounds to protect herself and her offspring. She can secrete these toxins from her head when threatened, and infuse her eggs with them.” “She will consume all of the nutrients and alkaloids from these spermatophores to make sure she and her offspring have the best chance of survival possible. However, she can decide which male's sperm from her gifts she wants to use to fertilize her eggs!” An illustration to the left of the text shows an iPhone opened to iMessage, with an ornate Bella moth on top of the phone screen. Texts from one of her male moth lovers (Jacob) read “Hey Bella. Did you like the gift I dropped off?” And a few hours later: “I gave you my spermatophore pls respond” The text on the infographic continues: “She'll usually choose the sperm of the male who had the strongest sex pheromones - chemical signals used to attract a mate. Stronger pheromones mean more toxic alkaloids, and thus, a healthier sperm donor.” A Valentine’s Day card that reads “I’d give you my spermatophore any day” with an ornate Bella moth illustration surrounded by Valentine’s presents and gifts of chocolate and balloons. Text that reads “To:” and “From:” is at the bottom of the image. The background is a soft pink gradient.
February 14, 2026 at 5:45 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Happy Valentine’s Day! 💖
Title of infographic: Gift Giving is the Love Language for Ornate Bella Moths “Ornate bella moth females mate with multiple males over the course of their 3-4 week adult lifespan. In each sexual encounter, she will receive a nuptial gift from the male called a spermatophore.” An illustration of an ornate Bella moth, a colorful orange and cream colored moth with black spots, is surrounded by valentine’s presents and a chocolate heart. The tags on her gifts read: TO: BELLA <3 - JACOB FROM: EDWARD XOXO Text continues: “This gift contains sperm, nutrients to help the female lay her eggs, and toxic alkaloid compounds to protect herself and her offspring. She can secrete these toxins from her head when threatened, and infuse her eggs with them.” “She will consume all of the nutrients and alkaloids from these spermatophores to make sure she and her offspring have the best chance of survival possible. However, she can decide which male's sperm from her gifts she wants to use to fertilize her eggs!” An illustration to the left of the text shows an iPhone opened to iMessage, with an ornate Bella moth on top of the phone screen. Texts from one of her male moth lovers (Jacob) read “Hey Bella. Did you like the gift I dropped off?” And a few hours later: “I gave you my spermatophore pls respond” The text on the infographic continues: “She'll usually choose the sperm of the male who had the strongest sex pheromones - chemical signals used to attract a mate. Stronger pheromones mean more toxic alkaloids, and thus, a healthier sperm donor.” A Valentine’s Day card that reads “I’d give you my spermatophore any day” with an ornate Bella moth illustration surrounded by Valentine’s presents and gifts of chocolate and balloons. Text that reads “To:” and “From:” is at the bottom of the image. The background is a soft pink gradient.
February 14, 2026 at 5:45 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
i have truly reached the pinnacle of my career. i will be giving a talk on bug sex tonight at my local science museum
February 12, 2026 at 8:02 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
someone please tell me drawing all of these weird Cambrian guys will be worth it
A photo of my iPad showing a white canvas with black line art depicting various Cambrian period invertebrates.
February 11, 2026 at 11:17 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
any artists who have done emerald city comic con before, how many of each print design do you typically bring? and how many of each size (postcard vs medium vs large print)? thanks!!!
February 10, 2026 at 7:36 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Man I Love Fossil stickers are now available!! 🦖🦴💕

find them here! shop.fossilforager.art

#sciart
A photo collage featuring my new MILF (Man I Love Fossil) sticker. This is a circular sticker design with a tan and brown color palette, featuring various fossils (a T-Rex skull, a trilobite, a fern, and an ammonite fossil) illustrated at the center of the sticker. Brown arching text surrounding the sticker reads MILF and Man I Love Fossils. The background image are pink magnolia flowers growing on a magnolia tree.
February 10, 2026 at 7:12 PM
Reposted by Nicole 🪲
marcelwasp.bsky.social
My green buge and pins finally arrived
Bought a little giraffe weevil pin from @fossilforager.bsky.social awhile ago and I had to get some friends for it
February 10, 2026 at 11:42 AM
Reposted by Nicole 🪲
pikaole.bsky.social
Bees 🐝
This art features 100 bees of various colors and shapes. These bees are designed in a cartoonish style, based on real species. The common name or species is written below the animals. Some bees are moving leaves, scraping plant hair, or sticking out their tongues. Some male bees have hairy faces and unusually shaped legs. There are also baby bees that have just hatched from their petal nests. Cute and colorful atmosphere. There are over 20,000 species of bees, so I only depicted a very small fraction of them!
February 10, 2026 at 3:24 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Blue morpho butterflies 🦋💙
An illustration of two morpho butterflies on a large leafed anthurium plant. One butterfly has its wings spread out to showcase a vibrant iridescent dark blue, while the other one has its wings closed and shows a brown underside with red eye spots and subtle lighter brown and gray markings. The anthurium is a dark green plant with large heart shaped leaves and lighter leaf veins. It is illustrated on a teal blue background.
February 9, 2026 at 9:20 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
I just recorded my first ever lil podcast to share what I’m currently working on this month & my business goals for this year! It’s free over on Patreon 🪲✨

www.patreon.com/posts/februa...
February Patreon Podcast?! | Nicole
Get more from Nicole on Patreon
www.patreon.com
February 8, 2026 at 5:06 PM
Reposted by Nicole 🪲
miski.bsky.social
Upset how accurate these prices are in 2026
Earthbound screenshot showing juice for $4, coffee for 6, fries for 8 and a hamburger for 14
February 3, 2026 at 8:05 AM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Anomalocaris enamel pin 🦐

rep this Paleozoic apex predator here:
shop.fossilforager.art
A photo of an enamel pin of an orange prehistoric shrimp-like arthropod known as Anomalocaris, who lived during the Cambrian period. It has lighter orange side flaps and large front grasping feeding appendages. It is photographed in a purple amethyst crystal.
February 3, 2026 at 7:15 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
I fear I may have girl bossed too hard at the gym today with leg day. wish me luck tomorrow 😃
February 3, 2026 at 5:32 AM
Reposted by Nicole 🪲
fossilforager.bsky.social
new pins are now available in my shop! 🦐

🛒🐛 shop.fossilforager.art

Reshares appreciated! ❤️
An image showing 3 differently colored isopod enamel pins arranged in a stack on my fingers. From top to bottom: dark brown and yellow, black and white, and orange and light orange. A photo of a colorful teal and green peacock mantis shrimp enamel pin with red legs, orange stripes along the body, and dark blue markings. It is photographed against a dark purple amethyst crystal. A photo of an enamel pin featuring 3 garden eels hanging out together. Two of the eels are a light green with black spots, while the larger eel behind them is orange with white stripes. They are photographed on a dark purple amethyst crystal.
January 31, 2026 at 4:23 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
using your own brain and thinking through things is so hot and sexy and cool
February 1, 2026 at 5:04 AM
fossilforager.bsky.social
I’m planning on doing some more video content this year - what are some topics or things you’d like to see from me in a video format? Art, nature, business, silly gaming, etc.?

Let me know!
January 31, 2026 at 7:08 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
new pins are now available in my shop! 🦐

🛒🐛 shop.fossilforager.art

Reshares appreciated! ❤️
An image showing 3 differently colored isopod enamel pins arranged in a stack on my fingers. From top to bottom: dark brown and yellow, black and white, and orange and light orange. A photo of a colorful teal and green peacock mantis shrimp enamel pin with red legs, orange stripes along the body, and dark blue markings. It is photographed against a dark purple amethyst crystal. A photo of an enamel pin featuring 3 garden eels hanging out together. Two of the eels are a light green with black spots, while the larger eel behind them is orange with white stripes. They are photographed on a dark purple amethyst crystal.
January 31, 2026 at 4:23 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
it’s Friday night and I am going to eat nuggets and fries and an ice cream sandwich :)
January 31, 2026 at 2:37 AM
Reposted by Nicole 🪲
solomonmissouri.bsky.social
4 Black journalists have been kidnapped by the federal government
January 30, 2026 at 6:45 PM
Reposted by Nicole 🪲
fossilforager.bsky.social
New enamel pins will drop on my site this Friday 1/30 @ 10 am PST! 💕

🔗 here to preview all the new designs: shop.fossilforager.art

Reshares appreciated to get the word out! #sciart
A photo collage showing various new colorful enamel pin designs designed by me: a peacock mantis shrimp, a group of garden eels, a black and white isopod, a curled up rubber ducky isopod, and an anomalocaris. They are all posed inside a purple crystal.
January 28, 2026 at 8:33 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
New enamel pins will drop on my site this Friday 1/30 @ 10 am PST! 💕

🔗 here to preview all the new designs: shop.fossilforager.art

Reshares appreciated to get the word out! #sciart
A photo collage showing various new colorful enamel pin designs designed by me: a peacock mantis shrimp, a group of garden eels, a black and white isopod, a curled up rubber ducky isopod, and an anomalocaris. They are all posed inside a purple crystal.
January 28, 2026 at 8:33 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
in the process of working on some new plushies… :)
January 28, 2026 at 7:57 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
I just posted my personal, artistic, and business recap for 2025 over on my Patreon, and my goals for 2026. It's free for anyone to read if you're interested in my thoughts and what I was up to last year!

www.patreon.com/posts/2025-i...
2025 in Review! 🪲 | Nicole
Get more from Nicole on Patreon
www.patreon.com
January 27, 2026 at 9:52 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
did not expect my little book post to pop off like this but thank you all so much for the words of encouragement, and for sharing how you’ve been getting back into reading too 📚❤️
fossilforager.bsky.social Nicole 🪲 @fossilforager.bsky.social · 19d
this is probably gonna sound really silly to people who read a lot, but I’ve already read more books this year (2) than I read all of last year (1) !!!
January 27, 2026 at 9:38 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Man I love fossils 🦖🦴
An illustration featuring a Tyrannosaurus rex skull, a trilobite fossil, an ammonite fossil, and a leaf fossil all arranged in a tan circle. Brown arched text above the illustrations says “MILF”. The bottom arched text below the art reads “MAN I LOVE FOSSILS”. It is encircled by a brown border.
January 27, 2026 at 9:35 PM