Your mum, the people at work – everyone is talking about Elton John and his biographic ‘Rocket Man’. Us? We’re pretty sure we’ve seen some of his looks before … just not hanging in a wardrobe.

In appreciation of brilliant biomimicry (designs that emulate nature). Our friends over at National Research Collections Australia gave us a hand in matching some of Sir Elton’s looks with our intricate insects.

We’re not ones to start a conspiracy theory that Elton was drawing inspiration from insects throughout his entire musical career but, coincidence? We think not.

So, who wore it better? Elton John or Insects?

Like a highlighter, only furry. This rock and roll ant’s stage name is Camponotus thadeus.

Bennie and the Bees? We’re living for this bee-rilliant look straight out of Scaptia auriflua’s book.

Sweet freedom whispered in my ear. You’re a butterfly! But he was actually a moth, and in this instance, from the family Castniidae, genus Synemon.

Waiting for the day, he can spread his wings, fly away again. Only this time, as a purple Myioscaptia violacea fly.

The Christmas beetle (Anoplognathus sp.) is back. And it’s shiny-er than ever before.

Nope, it’s not a candle in the wind. It’s Elton John as the splendid Selagis caloptera.

I guess that’s why they call it the Stigmodera gratiosa.

So are we bugging out? Or is there something going on here?

The Australian National Insect Collection

The Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC) researches a number of major bio-diverse and economically important groups of insects and related animals.

It is the world’s largest collection of Australian insects and related groups, such as mites, spiders, nematodes and centipedes. Recognised worldwide, our collection is growing by more than 100,000 specimens each year, and is currently home to over 12 million specimens.