Halloween Taxidermy Gold Mounted Insect Specimens

Bring some creepy crawly elegance to your spooky decor with this super easy Halloween taxidermy with mounted insect specimens. See the gold leaf Praying Mantis cloche too! So fun! For more frightening decor ideas see my Halloween page.

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This Halloween I wanted my decor to blend in with the rest of the decor but still have a fun creep factor. I mean who isn’t scared of bugs right? I painted some fun extra large plastic bugs with gold gilding or gold leaf paint, then placed the bugs in taxidermy mounts made from premade signs!

Our cocktail bar furniture piece looks like an antique filing cabinet. It looks so scientific and I thought it was the perfect spot to add fun creepy vintage bug mounts to my decor. Time to do some DIY Halloween taxidermy!

Over the years I have seen similar bug mounts created by some of my favorite bloggers. I am not here to reinvent the wheel, I just want a cool set of these for myself. I set out or recreate my version of this decor favorite.

To change them up I added a bit of glam to my mounts with studded fabric trim. I also provided a specimen name PDF so you can add the bug names to the mount if you wish to.

This fun bug mount would be great in a boys’ room (one that loves science) or a fun addition to a playroom. Just leave them their original paint jobs or paint them with bright fun colors and then display them.

Here’s how I created my version of this creepy Halloween decor.

Halloween Taxidermy Gold Mounted Insect Specimens

Supplies:

• Large Plastic Insects
• Gilding (Gold Leaf) Paint: Classic Gold
• Two Premade Signs: (Hobby Lobby) (1)- 23×15, (1)-
• Acrylic Paint: Black
• 4 Yards- Fabric Trim: Suede Gold Stud Trim ( Mechant 41 Brand at Hobby Lobby) 2 rolls.
• E6000 Adhesive
• Spray Sealant
• Wood Skewers or Craft Sticks
• Paintbrushes

• Insect Entomology Titles PDF

Where to Buy Bugs for Taxidermy

You can find bugs for this project in the link I provided in the supply list above to find the ones I used. You can also look for interesting insects at stores like party stores (Party City has a bunch), Amazon, toy stores, dollar stores, and Target!

Instructions:

Paint each insect with gold gilding paint. Try to leave a section on the bottom of the bug not painted with gold leaf. This is so the E6000 adhesive will adhere to the plastic bug. Let the bugs dry overnight for 24 hours. Spray with a sealant to seal the gold leaf paint and stop it from tarnishing.

Make sure you use both the gold leaf paint and the E6000 adhesive in a well-ventilated area. Read all directions on use for both of these products before using.

TIP: If you have trouble with the glue adhering to the bug rub the bottom plastic with some sandpaper to ruff up the paint so the adhesive will stick to the plastic.

Paint the two premade signs with black acrylic paint and let them dry completely overnight. (You could also use spray paint to paint the frames, I just used what was on hand).

Cut the fabric trim to the size of the edges of the frames. Adhere the fabric trim using E6000 adhesive. Place the adhesive on a paper plate and dip a skewer tip in the glue and rub it on the trim. Place the trim on the frame and push down. Let the adhesive dry overnight for a tight bond.

Add E6000 adhesive to the bottom of the bug and place them on the signs evenly. You can use a ruler to make sure they are all in line evenly. Let the E6000 glue dry overnight for 24 hours for a tight bond.

TIP: Paint the bugs and signs at the same time so they can dry overnight. Then the next day, add the trim and glue on the bugs so they can dry over the next night.

For a More Scientific Look:

Print out the specimen names from the PDF in the supply list. Cut the names out and glue them next to the insects. Hang and display your creepy mounted insect specimens!

Check out my next post where I made a fun cloche floral arrangement for the gold Praying Mantis to rest on! I hope you have been inspired to create my subtle but still creepy Halloween taxidermy. This fun gold bug taxidermy art will add some glam to your cocktail bar or maybe a spooky entryway.

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