Butterflies,  dragonflies, ladybugs and honey bees.

What exists in nature is replicated in art.

We sculpt them, draw them and paint them. We create their images on everything from clothing and jewelry to quilts and stepping stones. We never tire of their shapes, colors, textures and the extensive variety.

Many replicas find their way into exhibits at county fairs.

We saw more than a dozen "insects" today in McCormack Hall at the Solano County Fair, Vallejo. A butterfly morphs into a quilt. Another butterfly yields its shape for a stepping stone.  A honey bee transforms into a keychain. Dragonfly and ladybug decorations glide and crawl among the exhibits.

The 60th annual event, set July 22-26, is themed "Raisin' Steaks" but it's also raising awareness of nature.

And why not? 

Insects reign supreme in sheer variety and abundance.  Scientists have recorded some million insects to date.  Millions of others await identification. In total volume, there could be as many as 200 million insects for every human on the planet. They're all around us.

Interesting that we seek beneficial insects for our gardens, but the "revolting ones" we set aside for horror movies.