Nicole 🪲
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fossilforager.bsky.social
Nicole 🪲
@fossilforager.bsky.social
17K followers 450 following 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
Posts Replies Media Videos
fossilforager.bsky.social
YEAHHH like how?????
October 30, 2025 at 9:33 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
North American Hoverflies! 🪰
An illustrated poster with numbers and an identification key, highlighting the diversity of Hoverfly species found in North America. 18 flies are drawn on the poster. These flies are generally striped/have patterns that make them resemble bees. They are illustrated on a light earthy yellow-green background.
October 30, 2025 at 6:23 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Isopods!! 🧡
A vibrant illustrated poster featuring 14 species/varieties of isopods of various colors. They are illustrated on a yellow-vibrant orange background and have numbers with a key describing which species is which.
October 25, 2025 at 4:56 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Whale Fall pins are now available to PREORDER! ✨

I wanted to make sure those who missed out last time could hopefully get one this time! 🐋❤️

🔗 below!
A photo of a large gold-plated enamel pin photographed on top of a lichen-covered rock. The enamel pin features a whale skeleton covered with various deep sea creatures, such as octopuses, hagfish, a giant isopod, a crab, and chimaeras.
October 22, 2025 at 8:00 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
but the absolute worst is when these accounts just. randomly decide to modify my work. like what was the point of doing this. you have a whole ass poster FINISHED FOR YOU. no credit for the illustrations you stole!
A butchered version of my North American Moths print
October 15, 2025 at 9:52 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
please admire this massive grape (regular grape next to it for scale)
A photo of the palm of my hand holding two red grapes - one is huge and at least twice the size of a normal grape, the other is a normal red grape for scale.
October 14, 2025 at 4:03 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Unfortunately it looks like we won’t be hitting the preorder minimum for these hats unless we get some more orders!

So if you’re interested in a leafcutter ant hat or are considering holiday gifts, please preorder! 🐜🌿

Available below ⬇️
A photo of an olive green dad cap with two embroidered brown leafcutter ants holding leaves. It is photographed on top of a rock. A photo of an olive green dad cap with two embroidered brown leafcutter ants holding leaves, but photographed from a different angle. It is photographed on top of a rock.
October 12, 2025 at 6:54 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
tick pin, anyone?
A photo of a black legged tick enamel pin. It is small and plated with gold metal, and has a blackish-brown scutum and head with a red-orange body. The legs are black. It is photographed on a lichen-covered rock.
October 11, 2025 at 5:00 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
this is what my phone’s camera roll looks like at any given time btw
A screenshot of my phone’s camera roll, which is filled with reference photos of various fly species.
October 11, 2025 at 4:17 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
MY FALL DROP IS NOW LIVE! NEW PINS (DID SOMEONE SAY WHALE FALL?!!), STICKERS, AND MORE!!!

🛒🐛 shop.fossilforager.art
A photo of a large gold-plated enamel pin photographed on top of a lichen-covered rock. The enamel pin features a whale skeleton covered with various deep sea creatures, such as octopuses, hagfish, a giant isopod, a crab, and chimaeras. A photograph of a shiny gold metal-plated jewel weevil enamel pin. It is a green weevil with yellow and pink highlights, and large dark eyes. It is photographed on a lichen-covered rock. A photo of a tiny fruit fly enamel pin, with large red eyes and brown markings! Also photographed on a lichen-covered rock A photo of two leafcutter ant pins carrying large green leaves. The ants are small and reddish-brownish. They are photographed on top of a lichen-covered rock.
October 10, 2025 at 6:29 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Whale Fall pin 🦀🐋🦑
A photo of a large gold-plated enamel pin photographed on top of a lichen-covered rock. The enamel pin features a whale skeleton covered with various deep sea creatures, such as octopuses, hagfish, a giant isopod, a crab, and chimaeras.
October 9, 2025 at 5:29 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
FALL SHOP UPDATE! 🍁
New enamel pins, stickers, prints, and so much more will be added to my site this Friday 10/10 @ 11 am PDT!
You can preview everything here!
🛒🐛: shop.fossilforager.art
A mockup image with white bubbled text that reads “Shop Update! October 10th @ 11 am PDT” with a link url below (shop.fossilforager.art). There is a collage of sticker sheets and enamel pins around the text, featuring insects and deep sea marine creatures on a whale skeleton. The sticker sheets have weevils and sea creatures. They are placed on a yellow-orange gradient.
October 8, 2025 at 7:49 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Two new dad hat designs are now available to preorder! These are union and USA-made, with 100% organic cotton. 🦖🐜💕

Get yours here! shop.fossilforager.art
A photo showing an olive green dad cap with 2 leafcutter ants embroidered on the front of the cap. The ants are holding leaves. A khaki-colored dad cap with brown and tan embroidery that reads “MILF” and “Man I Love Fossils”. Between the text is an embroidered t-rex skull.
October 3, 2025 at 5:04 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Planthopper keychain plushies are now available in my shop! Bring a soft little bug friend on your adventures.

🛒🐛 shop.fossilforager.art
A stack of 3 green planthopper plushies with large bright red eyes and big pupils. They have two leaf-like wings on the side of their bodies and round stubby legs. They are posed on a rock with a pebbled background. A singular green planthopper plush on a rock. Three planthopper plushies in a row posed on a rock. From this angle, you can see they all have a green beaded chain attachment on their back.
October 2, 2025 at 7:20 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
The Invertober prompt list for 2025 is HERE! If you’re looking for an invert-themed art prompt list for the month of October, here it is 🦀🪲🐚💕 #sciart #invertober #invertober2025
Invertober 2025 1. Japanese sea nettle (Chrysaora pacifica) 2. Red-banded leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea) 3. Giant green anemone (Anthopleura xanthogrammica) 4. Palmetto weevil (Rhynchophorus cruentatus) 5. Painted spiny lobster (Panulirus versicolor) 6. Buff-tip moth (Phalera bucephala) 7. Scaly foot gastropod (Chrysomallon squamiferum) 8. Bee-killer robber fly (Mallophora fautrix) 9. Flamboyant cuttlefish (Ascarosepion pfefferi) 10. Common earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) 11. Dark fishing spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus) 12. Pacific razor clam (Siliqua patula) 13. Banded sugar ant (Camponotus consobrinus) 14. Bobbit worm (Eunice aphroditois) 15. Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) ‪16. Giant isopod (Bathynomus giganteus) ‬ 17. Blue-lined flatworm (Pseudoceros concinnus) 18. Black & yellow mud dauber (Sceliphron caementarium) 19. Vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) 20. By-the-wind sailor (Velella velella) 21. Flame skimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata) 22. Sea angel (Clione limacina) 23. Pink sand dunes tiger beetle (Cicindela albissima) 24. New Zealand mussel (Perna canaliculus) 25. House centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) 26. Sea bunny (Jorunna parva) 27. American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) 28. Pearly green lacewing (Chrysopa perla) 29. Red sea urchin (Mesocentrotus franciscanus) 30. Christmas beetle (Anoplognathus pallidicollis) 31. Death’s-head hawk moth (Acherontia atropos)
September 26, 2025 at 6:48 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Here’s some more art I did! The book has tons of beautiful art from other artists too :)
An illustration of a Gilacorn from Avatar the Last Airbender. It is a brown striped lizard with light and dark bands, an eye mask, and horn on its snout. It is holding a grub in its mouth and standing on top of a rock with sand and dried grass. An illustration of a toucan puffin from Avatar The Last Airbender. It is a cross between a toucan and a puffin and has large orange webbed feet and a long toucan-like bill. It is eating a berry in this illustration and standing on top of moss. An illustration of a sea serpent from Avatar the Last Airbender. It is sticking its head out of the water. It is a colorful beast that slightly resembles a sea dragon, and has various hues of teal, green, yellow, and purple decorating its long slender face. It has large red fish-like eyes, a long spiked ping tongue, and sharp fang-like teeth.
September 26, 2025 at 4:57 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Super excited to share that I contributed some art to Beasts of the Four Nations: Creatures from Avatar the Last Airbender and the Legend of Korra! The book is out now and filled with gorgeous artwork from many talented artists. Here are some of my favorite color pieces I did! 💕
An illustration of a quilled chameleon, a fantasy creature that resembles a chameleon with large quills emerging from the arms. It is various shades of green and camouflaged against green leaves and tree branches. An illustration of a large green and black rhinoceros beetle with a saddle and harness on top of small sand dunes. The creature is from Avatar the Last Airbender. An illustration of a screaming buzzard wasp, a large wasp-like fantasy animal with the head and feather collar of a vulture. It has 6 insect legs and translucent wings. It is screaming in the image.
September 26, 2025 at 4:54 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Creatures of the Intertidal Zone 🦀🐚💕
A colorful illustrated poster of 19 different species of invertebrates and fish found in the intertidal zone. They include sea stars, snails, hermit crabs, a sea hare, Nudibranchs, urchins, a chiton, a fluffy sculpin, a limpet, a crab, octopus, a mussel, and sea cucumber. They are illustrated on a dark teal background, with a numbered key identifying the species.
September 18, 2025 at 6:31 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
accidentally took the most baby girl photo of Fern last night 😭💕
A slightly out of focus photo of my fluffy calico cat Fern on top of my legs on a fluffy comforter. The photo was taken with flash in the dark.
September 15, 2025 at 7:39 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Little leafhopper on a tiny canvas!!
An illustration of a red-banded leafhopper drawn on a canvas with acrylic paint pens. The insect is brightly colored with blue, orange, and yellow and has red bands on its body. It is illustrated on a turquoise background.
September 14, 2025 at 8:01 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
This is the Bug of the Month for October, sign up at the scarab or stag tier before Oct 1st to receive a postcard and vinyl sticker!

patreon.com/fossilforager
An image showing a Spanish moon moth vinyl sticker and postcard print as part of my Bug of the Month club. I send out a monthly postcard and sticker featuring a different insect each month.
September 12, 2025 at 6:01 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Spanish Moon Moth 🌙
An illustration showing two Spanish moon moths on a pine tree branch with a large pine cone. The moths are light green with reddish wing veins and 4 eye spots on their fore and hind wings. A chunky green and brown caterpillar with white markings and hairs is eating some of the pine needles. They are illustrated on a dark blue background.
September 12, 2025 at 5:58 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
going live on twitch to work on patreon rewards for next month!

twitch.tv/fossilforager
September 11, 2025 at 6:56 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
gartastic
An illustration of two alligator gar on a teal background. The fish have a long alligator-like snout and are covered in armored scales. The fish are greenish-brown and have some speckled darker spots and markings on their fins and back.
September 11, 2025 at 6:25 PM
fossilforager.bsky.social
Kelp Forests of the Eastern Pacific Ocean 🌊🦦💕
An illustrated poster featuring 18 species of flora and fauna found in kelp forests in the eastern Pacific Ocean! These animals include a California sea lion, sea otter, garibaldi fish, kelp bass, rock fish, bat ray, California sheephead, sea urchin, horn shark, leopard shark, pacific giant octopus, wolf eel, señorita wrasse, northern anchovies, and blue-banded goby. They are illustrated on a vibrant teal background next to a large giant kelp. Text and a key defines each of the organisms on the poster.
September 8, 2025 at 5:40 PM