https://www.facebook.com/108965924869307/

Mourning Glory

Home
Gosport
Mourning Glory

A novice taxidermist of 3yrs specialising in ethical entomology (insects/invetebrates) taxidermy.
(1)

08/01/2024

Christmas is all taken down in Mourning Glory H.Q but the mantle looks empty without its wreath,

Que hanging my large Atlas Moth, Atlas frame hung at 07:45 this morning because my stag beetle painting wouldnt fill the space on the wall in my opinion. 🙃🖤

Looking at it I think I may make another big frame this year for my craft stall displays to come.

31/12/2023

🖤 Behind the Scenes 🖤

Playing around with a new background idea that I dreamt up, theres only one way to see if it works,

This is how most of my prototype frames and now trinkets come about.

30/12/2023

🖤 Behind the Scenes 🖤

Going through the large flower press for some botanical specimens for a frame 😀🌼🌿

29/12/2023

🦋 Taxidermy Specimen 🦋

Taxidermy is a lesson that keeps teaching, this Common Rose Fritallary Butterflys antenna came seperate for DIY installments.

🤔How fragile are butterfly antenna ?

VERY. 😬

29/12/2023

🦋 Taxidermy Specimen 🦋

Common Rose Fritillary Butterfly prepared for drying, this one is confused by the majority with the Great Mormon Butterfly;

Why? Because some species mimic others, the Greater Mormon is poisonous to its native birds, the caterpillars eat a host plant that has toxins, these transfer to its adult Butterfly form to leave a bad taste in a predators mouth as a deterrent.

Evolutionary!! The Common Rose Fritillary has evolved to mimic the Greater Mormon's colouration even down to the red warning eyes on he bottom of its frilly wings.

Remember: Rule of thumb is Frilly Wings is the Fritillary genus in butterfly identification

28/12/2023

🦋 Taxidermy Specimen 🦋

Finally, from drying naturally, the Chinese Luna Moth you watched me prepare is ready to be framed. 🎉

14/12/2023

Always love a happy customer, this mantis was a well loved pet.
Happily I assisted on this memorial piece as I got to gain new skills with new species.

14/12/2023

🖤Behind the Scenes🖤

Two new Blue Morpho Butterfly frames in the making, hopefully finished by the weekend to be ready for sale at Stoke Emporium

13/12/2023

🦋Specimen Pinning🦋

Forewarning a single pin is used to position specimen.

Other than that, enjoy watching this chinese lunar moth being prepared and pinned.

Merry Christmas to all my page members 🥳🎁

09/12/2023

🎉New🎉

A prototype I have been working on for a while now, a trinket box for this privett hawk moth.

23/11/2023

🦋Taxidermy Specimen🦋

A chinese luna moth into the relaxing chamber, hopefully ready in the next few weeks.

Last night I was going through my specimens to take inventory, partially as I thought i had lost a deathshead hawk moth (as you do 😅) so new stock will be in progress, with time off before xmas to tie up lose ends finishing frames I was half way through making.

Thank you for everyones patience, loyalty to my page and my patrons who repeatedly support my artwork.

I do not have plans to knock Mourning Glory on the head, but to make high quality small batches of frames for everyone to enjoy. 🥳🦋

19/11/2023

🐛Bug facts🐛

It's my favourite time of year when moths are out and about,

This T shaped insect is a Plume Moth native to Britain.

The total larval (caterpillar stage) period ranges from 8-18 days. Pupation lasts for 3-5 days. The total life cycle ranges from 15-28 days. Longevity of adults being 3-4 days.

They can be beige and tan or white in colour,

The host plant for their caterpillars is Morning Glory or Japanese bind w**d, of which our local park has masses off.

18/11/2023

🖤Behind the Scenes🖤

Hand painting more labels for enamel badges, they will be dropped down at Stoke Emporium today with a few more frames.

08/11/2023

🌻Mourning Glory Garden🌻

Slowly but surely we have adjusted our garden to have year round food resources for insects with fuschia, echinacea and salvia still flowering we know what we need to get more of for the Bees and butterflies and moths. 🦋🌻

07/11/2023

🎄Festive Stock🎄

A few pin badges will be at the Stoke Emporium for stocking filler gifts adding to a good price range of Mourning Glory Items ideal gifts for friends and family over the festive season.

06/11/2023

🎄Festive Stock🎄

Something else in the creative works for more stocking filler idea for everyone that won't cost an arm and a leg 🎁

Has to incorporate my love an appreciation of insects 🥰 🐞🐝🐜🦂🕷🕸🦋🐛🐌

05/11/2023

🎄Festive Stock🎄

Need unique stocking fillers for friends or family? I have a few ideas up my sleeve to help with pennies in mind.

The original solid Bug off Balm that smells like lemon sherbet and repels mosquitos with natural organic ingredients is a nice gift I myself use and given to friends and family.

Stocked at Stoke Emporium down stoke road next to the Tap Room.

17/10/2023

🖤Behind the Scenes🖤

Back to making my own watercolour paints recycling unused expired eyeshadow.

Those newest member to my page theres not a lot I don't make or prepare myself.

I do have something even more exciting in the works that I can contribute to my artwork. Waiting on its arrival to share with you all 🎉

16/10/2023

🖤Behind the scenes🖤

Finally knew what this frame needed adding irridescent gems into the 24karat gold design.

With its hawkmoths residence being mounted it will be taking up residency on display in Ceri Williams Tattoos shop for her customers to view when waiting for their new tattoos.

15/10/2023

Finishing off a new idea of a trinket box. With the bumble bee trinket box being a hit and allowing a lucky person to take it home with them on Stoke road festival.

This prototype already has an eager owner once it is finished. But there will be more in the works.

24/09/2023

🙃 Unrelated News Bulletin 🙃

I have a Corvid skull for my personal collection's gallery wall display.

Specifically a crow skull, one which died of natural causes (I always research and cross check)

Crows are highly intelligent

Crows mate for life

Crows can remember faces (aka hold a grudge)

Crows have regional dialects like we have with our language

Crows hold funerals for the deceased flock members

Crows have huge brains!

Crows can make tools to help them problem solve

Crows hide their food sometimes on barbed wire fences or tree thorns as a hidden larder

Crows will also bring people who regularly feed them "treasure" like keys, plastic tags or other crow deemed items of value

My parents have also befriended a crow in their garden through leftover feedings it now brings its offspring to their garden each year.

So this is why I wanted to purchased this lovely crow skull. Enjoy :)

23/09/2023

🥳Mourning Glory OG supporters🥳

Those little reminders when I have been at my desk too long with the frames,

I heard one of our dogs come into the room then a furry behind between my feet as I was gilding backgrounds.

One steals the recycled bubblewrap we gather and pops it with her teeth and the other will just be so "dogs trust" in her expressions she stops whatever you are doing.

All the Naturally deceased Bumblebees, Butterflies and some flowers are gathered on this Duo's walks.
Honestly they are too used to me going "stop" and picking up a bee 😂

So they are pretty much the origin of Mourning Glory frames.

22/09/2023

🖤Behind the Scenes🖤

Playing around with some colour on the background boards

Nearly autumn and loving the first rusty bronze pattern 🍁💖🍁

21/09/2023

🖤Behind the Scenes🖤

Adding to this 24karat background designs because "it just needed something" 🤨

20/09/2023

🎉New Frame🎉

Another naturally deceased Red Admiral on the Bronze gilded background.

19/09/2023

Everyone is more than welcome to contribute photos of their Newly purchased frames final destination.

I am very grateful for everyones support and each frame getting it's new home makes me very happy to make affordable artwork for everyone to enjoy 🖤

18/09/2023

🖤Behind the Scenes🖤

A whole summer of collecting naturally deceased bees on my walks, also a few donation left outside my door 😅

But start to finish, it's all my handiwork with skills I've taught myself and figured out along the way.

Promoting the importance of conserving and protecting those too small to do it themselves, as its our responsibility to look after habitats, green areas and try our best to save the environment.

17/09/2023

So the glass trinket prototype gathered alot of interest yesterday and I was even happy to let it go to a new home.

I am looking into doing a small limited batch for special gift stock;
obviously pricing will still be around materials used, specimen cost (unless N/Dcsd) and a small profit margin to go back into buying more materials for me to continue my hobby.

At the current estimated price they will be around £35-40

16/09/2023

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate Stoke Road Festial today,
new faces who took cards-'nice to meet you'
MG supporters- 'thanks for your support and well wishes'

I am glad that we had the weather for it,
Interactions that made my day:
Kids and giving out my stickers
One lovely lady "oh you are in the Stoke emporium"
A Mother and daughter "yes we already have one of your frames"

Ceri Ceri Williams Tattoos dan Dan Williams Art , kira Lilac Bones Tattoo and Courtney Courtney's Gothic Goods thank you for a great day in the stall xx

16/09/2023

Stall is all set up and ready for the public today.

Address

Stoke Road
Gosport

Website

facebook.com

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Mourning Glory posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Videos

🦋Specimen Pinning🦋 Forewarning a single pin is used to position specimen. Other than that, enjoy watching this chinese lunar moth being prepared and pinned. Merry Christmas to all my page members 🥳🎁

🖤Behind the Scenes🖤 Hand painting more labels for enamel badges, they will be dropped down at Stoke Emporium today with a few more frames.

🙃Unusual Daily🙃 Painting in my doodles from the previous few days, black and iridescent at the same time beetles are quite captivating in an array of colours.

🕷🕷🕷SPIDER WARNING🕷🕷🕷 Perseus and his fly 🕸🥩

🐝Bee rescuing🐝 This bumble bee I found on a table at work, it is the most mischievous bee I have saved so far. He was taped into a kit kat box with air holes for the drive back to Mourning Glory HQ and Bee ward for assistance. All tucked in for the night to stay warm we will feed him again through the night and morning for him to be on his way (🤞) in some sunshine hopefully

Unpinning the little brown spider 🕷🕸 It held its form very well and now the web prototype can be revisited from last summer 🤗🎉

Caught a little video of the pinning process on this butterfly. 🤗🦋💕

Another box of the same order, unboxing a selection of beetles!!

An exciting unboxing of one of my orders !!! Honestly I feel like I just recieved a trunk of jewels right now .. 🤗💕💎

This little one is a sweetheart 💕🦋

The biggest release of big whites , sulphur and cabbage white butterflies. All in the sunshine beforehead to be given 20 mins to warm up their wings.

My novice set up

This is my novice set up that i have upgraded one before i started selling my frames. I do have a wishlist of items to upgrade in the future. I have a cork board , 3 sizes of entomology pins, a roll of entomology tweezers and tools , a sponge for a pin cushion and a organised system for the bees fresh pinned, ready to gild and ready to go into frames. I normally only taxiderm 8 bees at one time, before Parkfest my record was 15. Each bee takes me 20min to 30 mins to precisely pin for display.

My bumblebees in a relaxing chamber

So , I am a bit shy when recording videos. I dont like the sound of my own voice contrary to belief. This is my smallest relaxing chamber, so I clean all the bees I have found, a entomology pin goes through its thorax (it is already dead, found dead, the only pin that goes through the bee) to help me move , position and pin it to my board. This pot has a special ratio of water and other mould preventing / preserving liquids. The bees do not come in contact with it but steam in it in the sunshine. The liquids are not hazardous to health but stop the bees rotting or going mouldy before I can pin them. They steam for 3 to 6 days depending on their size.