Illustration

Japanese Honeybee

Japanese honeybees fend off intruding wasps by huddling together and roasting the aggressor alive using synchronized wingbeats. This illustration depicts the hive as a cult invoking the wrath of their god to smite a heretic.

Illustration

Assassin Bug

A species of assassin bug known as Acanthaspis petax is known for targeting ants and wearing their corpses on its back. This illustration depicts the insect as a serial killer who stalks alleyways for new victims to add to his collection.

Illustration

Praying Mantis

The praying mantis is a master of camouflage and ambushing its prey at blinding speeds. This illustration depicts the creature as a shinobi making his move on an unsuspecting target, springing from his spot of hiding in the blink of an eye.

Illustration

Pram Bug

Pram bugs are aquatic arthropods that hollow out salps and use their corpses as mobile nurseries for their young. This illustration depicts the creature as a neglectful mother who is unaware of her spoiled children’s dangerous behaviour.

Illustration

Flannel Moth

Flannel moths are deceptively cuddly-looking insects that hide poisonous spines in their fur that cause excruciating pain on contact. This illustration depicts the moth as a partner in a toxic relationship who is blissfully unaware of the pain she... More

Illustration

Parasitoid Wasp

Parasitoid wasps lay eggs in live prey and brainwash them using their venom to create what is essentially the living dead that foster and protect their children. This illustration depicts the wasp as a necromancer raising an army of zombies to do... More

Illustration

Black Widow

This illustration compares a black widow spider’s process of capturing and consuming prey to medical torture and/or human experimentation as they strap down their “patients” and tend to them with a variety of sharp tools plus poison.

Illustration

Bombardier Beetle

The bombardier beetle defends itself by spraying a scalding chemical that is mixed in its abdomen using two compounds. This illustration compares this defense mechanism to the usage of chemical warfare on the battlefield.

Illustration

Skeleton Shrimp

The skeleton shrimp is an aquatic arthropod that is often compared to praying mantises due to their similar hunting techniques of stealth and ambush. This illustration depicts the creature as a monster lurking in the woods, similar to those in... More

Illustration

Fire Ant

Fire ants are aggressive insects that are capable of synchronizing their movements and linking to each other to form structures. This illustration compares their behaviour to mob mentality and depicts the ants as swarming rioters.

Work by

David Zhixuan Zhang aka. VIATHINE

“"The Slaughtering Swarm" is a project that explores a variety of arthropods and the unusual survival mechanisms they employ to kill, drawing comparisons between these actions to human behaviours and...” [More]

Artwork Collection

The Slaughtering Swarm

This project explores various arthropods and their survival mechanisms, drawing comparisons between them and human behaviours and concepts.

Japanese Honeybee

Japanese honeybees fend off intruding wasps by huddling together and roasting the aggressor alive using synchronized wingbeats. This illustration depicts the hive as a cult invoking the wrath of their god to smite a heretic.

Assassin Bug

A species of assassin bug known as Acanthaspis petax is known for targeting ants and wearing their corpses on its back. This illustration depicts the insect as a serial killer who stalks alleyways for new victims to add to his collection.

Praying Mantis

The praying mantis is a master of camouflage and ambushing its prey at blinding speeds. This illustration depicts the creature as a shinobi making his move on an unsuspecting target, springing from his spot of hiding in the blink of an eye.

Pram Bug

Pram bugs are aquatic arthropods that hollow out salps and use their corpses as mobile nurseries for their young. This illustration depicts the creature as a neglectful mother who is unaware of her spoiled children’s dangerous behaviour.

Flannel Moth

Flannel moths are deceptively cuddly-looking insects that hide poisonous spines in their fur that cause excruciating pain on contact. This illustration depicts the moth as a partner in a toxic relationship who is blissfully unaware of the pain she... More

Parasitoid Wasp

Parasitoid wasps lay eggs in live prey and brainwash them using their venom to create what is essentially the living dead that foster and protect their children. This illustration depicts the wasp as a necromancer raising an army of zombies to do... More

Black Widow

This illustration compares a black widow spider’s process of capturing and consuming prey to medical torture and/or human experimentation as they strap down their “patients” and tend to them with a variety of sharp tools plus poison.

Bombardier Beetle

The bombardier beetle defends itself by spraying a scalding chemical that is mixed in its abdomen using two compounds. This illustration compares this defense mechanism to the usage of chemical warfare on the battlefield.

Skeleton Shrimp

The skeleton shrimp is an aquatic arthropod that is often compared to praying mantises due to their similar hunting techniques of stealth and ambush. This illustration depicts the creature as a monster lurking in the woods, similar to those in... More

Fire Ant

Fire ants are aggressive insects that are capable of synchronizing their movements and linking to each other to form structures. This illustration compares their behaviour to mob mentality and depicts the ants as swarming rioters.

Work by

David Zhixuan Zhang aka. VIATHINE

“"The Slaughtering Swarm" is a project that explores a variety of arthropods and the unusual survival mechanisms they employ to kill, drawing comparisons between these actions to human behaviours and...” [More]