The Bug Collector

    By iritanosbani

    The Bug Collector cover image

    09 Apr, 2024

    a woman sitting at a table surrounded by jars and bugs in a museum of insects and insects in glass jars, photorealism, a character portrait, David Teniers III, promotional image

    Sarah was an unusual woman with a peculiar hobby - she collected bugs, storing them in her navel for a short period before transferring them to their respective jars.

    a woman with glasses and a bunch of bugs around her neck and head, surrounded by many other bugs, hyperrealism, a photorealistic painting, Christian W. Staudinger, highly detailed digital painting

    Every bug she found, she gently placed into her belly button, feeling their tiny legs tickling her skin. It was her way of bonding with them before letting them go.

    a painting of a woman with glasses and a backpack in a park with butterflies flying around her head and trees in the background, photorealism, a photorealistic painting, Brad Kunkle, highly detailed digital painting

    Sarah frequented the park, looking for unique bugs to add to her collection. Her navel often housed insects from ladybugs to beetles during these visits.

    a woman with glasses and butterflies on her neck and a butterfly on her shoulder, standing in front of a bush, fantasy art, a character portrait, Brad Kunkle, highly detailed digital painting

    One day, she found a rare, beautiful beetle and placed it in her navel. It was a charming creature, and she couldn’t wait to add it to her collection.

    a woman wearing glasses sitting at a table with a clock in the background and a lamp on the wall, academic art, a character portrait, Arabella Rankin, promotional image

    However, this beetle refused to leave her navel. It clung to her skin, causing a mild discomfort that soon turned into a gnawing pain.

    a woman with glasses and a spider on her head in a bedroom with a bed and desk in the background, photorealism, a hyperrealistic painting, Clint Cearley, highly detailed digital painting

    Sarah tried to remove the beetle, but it was stuck. Panic started to creep in as the pain intensified. She was losing control over her unique hobby.

    a woman in a white lab coat and glasses looking at the camera with a serious look on her face, neoplasticism, a character portrait, Araceli Gilbert, promotional image

    Sarah found herself in a hospital, where a perplexed doctor managed to remove the beetle. The incident left her shaken and questioning her strange obsession.

    a man and a woman in a lab coat looking at something on a table with a laptop on it, international gothic, a poster, David Annand, promotional image

    "Sarah," the doctor said, "You need to find a healthier way to connect with nature. This obsession of yours could have serious repercussions."

    a woman with glasses looking out of a window with butterflies flying around her and a view of the countryside, cloisonnism, a character portrait, Arabella Rankin, glasses

    Sarah took the doctor's words to heart. She stopped collecting bugs, instead starting to photograph them in their natural habitats.

    a woman standing in a room with potted plants and a window behind her is looking at the camera, photorealism, computer graphics, Arabella Rankin, ultra realistic digital art

    She still loved bugs, but she realized she had to respect their space and natural behavior. Her apartment, now free of specimen jars, felt more like a home.

    a woman with glasses holding a camera in front of a park with butterflies flying around her and a butterfly in the air, photorealism, a photorealistic painting, Artgerm, highly detailed digital painting

    Sarah was happier now, free from the self-imposed confinement of her obsession. She explored the park, clicking pictures and appreciating the beauty of bugs.

    a woman with glasses and a blue shirt surrounded by butterflies and flowers in a park setting with a blue sky, photorealism, a detailed painting, Dan Mumford, highly detailed digital painting

    Her navel no longer a temporary home for bugs, Sarah was content. She had found a new way to connect with nature, a healthier and safer one.