After dragons origami insects might just be my next favourite thing. There really aren’t any other types of models that have the same level of complexity and details while looking so much like the real-life versions.
You can really tell that a lot of work has gone into these designs and probably a ton of research into different insect species as well.
First up is this fantastic Praying Mantis. This particular one has quite a great little face.
Praying Mantis, Designed by Sebastian Arellano and Folded by Edgar
Diagrams available in Origami Masters Bugs
Beetles are a super popular type of insect to fold and there’s ton of amazing designs. This species is called Cheirotonus jansoni. P. Colman painted the model afterwards using a mix of hydrus watercolor and metallic calligraphy ink and finished everything with a copic airbrush.
The model was also modified slightly here to be more like the real-life version with extra hooks on the feet and antennas.
Cheirotonus jansoni, Designed by Folder951 and Folded by P. Colman
Here are two more fantastic beetles fighting each other out in the wild.
Dorcus curvidens Designed by Brian Chan and Cyclommatus metallifer Designed by Satoshi Kamiya, Both Folded by Phillip Curl
Cyclommatus metallifer diagrams available in Works of Satoshi Kamiya 2, 2002 – 2009
Dorcus curvidens diagrams available in the 2010 Peru Convention book
Satoshi Kamiya also designed this great little dragonfly.
Dragonfly, Designed by Satoshi Kamiya and Folded by Shuki Kato
Crease Pattern available in World of Super Complex Origami
Here’s another absolutely incredible looking beetle and it’s folded from a single square of 35cm x 35cm paper!
Kabutomushi 3.6, Designed by Kota Imai and Folded by Nguyen Nam Son
Crease pattern available from Kota Imai’s Flickr
This is another amazing beetle and I absolutely love how the colours and design look exactly like this beetle does in real life.
Hercules Beetle, Designed by Robert J. Lang and Folded by David Dávalos
Diagrams available in Origami Insects 2
Here’s another incredible praying mantis model. Look at how many layers of paper you can see folded up into each other! This can’t be easy to fold.
Mantis Boxer, Designed by Manuel Sirgo and Folded by Vít Masopust
Diagrams available in License to Fold
We’re going to look at a ton of incredible origami beetles in this post because they’re all so impressive. Here’s another beautiful design from Satoshi Kamiya. This is folded from a single 40cm x 40cm square of paper.
Lucanus maculifemoratus, Designed by Satoshi Kamiya and Folded by Kim Ju Hyun
Diagrams available in the 22nd Tanteidan Convention book
I love the colours in this next beetle. This is all one square of paper again and if you use two sided paper like you see here you get that excellent different coloured back.
Lily Beetle, Designed and Folded by Damian Malicki
Instructions not available
Here’s an incredible looking wasp and if you look closely again you can see all the many layers of paper folded up inside.
Vespa Mandarina, Designed and Folded by Maeng Heung Gue
Instructions not available
This is one of those leaf insects that camouflages itself as a leaf. It looks really great folded out of paper here.
Leaf Insect, Designed by Daniel Robinson and Folded by Guillermo R. Parrondo
Diagrams available in Origami Masters Bugs
The plates on the back of this pillbug look really cool folded out of paper.
Pillbug, Designed by Jordan Langerak and Folded by Fernando Castellanos
Crease pattern available from Jordan Langerak’s Flickr
Here’s another really excellent beetle design that has a great bright colour change on the back.
Designed and Folded by Michael Lau
Instructions not available
Shuki Kato’s flying Kabutomushi is definitely one of the most impressive insect designs I’ve ever seen. This whole thing is folded from a single square of paper too!
Flying Kabutomushi, Designed by Shuki Kato and Folded by Mariano Zavala B.
Video instructions available from Mariano Zavala B.’s YouTube channel
This next model is something a bit different. It uses an extra long sheet of paper and a tessellation pattern to make a quite impressive centipede.
Scolopendra, Designed and Folded by Andrey Ermakov
Instructions not available
Here’s something a bit different and unique from Sebastien Limet. The stem, flower and insect are all folded from the same square of paper.
Slyness, Designed and Folded by Sebastien Limet
Instructions not available
From a distance you could totally mistake this next beetle for a real-life version.
Darwin Beetle, Designed by Manuel Sirgo and Folded by Pere Olivella
Diagrams available in the 22nd Tanteidan Convention book
Here’s another absolutely beautiful beetle folded and then painted by P. Colman. The real beetle is that colourful and shiny in real life too.
Jewel Click Beetle, Designed by Đỗ Anh Tú and Folded by P. Colman
Crease pattern available from Bill Ori’s Flickr
There’s such a huge amount of diversity with all these beetle designs. This one has a completely different shape.
Neolucanus okinawanus, Designed and Folded by Kei Watanabe
Instructions not available
Here’s another spectacular design by Kota Imai. The most impressive thing about these designs is that the bottom is folded perfectly too. You could easily design an amazing looking beetle and leave the bottom a mess since you’re not going to see it. Pretty much all of Kota Imai’s designs though look incredible no matter what angle you’re looking at.
Dorcus Hopei Binodulosus, Designed and Folded by Kota Imai
Crease pattern available from Kota Imai’s Flickr
Here’s another really fantastic wasp.
Wasp, Designed by Satoshi Kamiya and Folded by J.W Park
Crease Pattern available in World of Super Complex Origami
This is one of those insects that disguises itself as sticks. It’s another perfect insect to fold out of paper and this is a really great design.
Giant Spiny Stick Insect, Designed and Folded by Daniel Robinson
Instructions not available
Here we have what’s probably the most beautiful looking dragonfly I’ve ever seen. The paper used here is gorgeous too.
Matrona Basilaris Japonica, Designed and Folded by Kei Watanabe
Instructions not available
This is another awesome type of insect that camouflages itself as a leaf.
Leaf Katydid, Designed by Brian Chan and Folded by 林月劍雲
Diagrams available in the 12th Tanteidan Convention book
Here’s another incredible beetle design with amazing and complicated details from every angle.
Lucanus Cervus Judaicus v2.1, Designed by Kota Imai and Folded by Nguyenngoc Thanh
Instructions not available
The last model for this post is one more incredible beetle. This is a Yanbaru long-armed scarab beetle and you could easily mistake this for the real thing from a distance. Like pretty much all of Kei Watanabe’s designs I have no idea how someone could create something like this.
Yanbaru Long-Armed Scarab Beetle, Designed and Folded by Kei Watanabe
Instructions not available
That’s it for this post, let us know in the comments which one of these models is your favourite. If you want to see more amazing origami insects check out some of the posts below.
