This guide is for anyone who has ever wanted a spider on a desk, a bee on a keyring or a slug in a pocket. We print seven 3D printed bugs: the Bee, the Horned Bee, the Spider, the Tarantula, the Snail, the Slug and the Round Caterpillar. Six of them start at $1.00 for a 1 inch Micro, and the Tarantula is a single size at $7.00.
People often buy these as a joke, then keep them because they turn out to be good fidgets. Below we explain how each one moves and what the sizes cost, then match them to a child, a desk, a prank and a Halloween shelf. Choose a bug by how it moves, because legs, wings and a legless body each feel different in your hand, and that matters more than the size.
Seven 3D Printed Bugs, and Only Three Are Insects
We use "bugs" the way most people do, for anything small that crawls. Strictly, only the two bees and the caterpillar are insects. The Spider and the Tarantula are arachnids, and the Snail and the Slug are mollusks. That difference is also why they move so differently.
Insects have a segmented body, and our bees and caterpillar are printed that way. The joints run through the body, so it wiggles and curls rather than walks.
Spiders have eight legs, and every leg is jointed. They splay out flat, tuck in tight and grip the edge of whatever you set them on.
Snails and slugs have no legs at all. The joints run along one long body, which makes them the smoothest movers of the seven.
Every one is printed in place as a single piece of premium PLA. The joints form on the print plate with a small gap between each part, so nothing is glued or assembled. The spiders sit in our woodland critters collection. The bees, the Snail and the Slug are in the farm collection, and the Round Caterpillar is with the Pocket Friends.
Two Bees, and Why One Comes With a Hive
The Bee: six sizes from $1.00
The Bee wiggles through its striped body and holds a pose on a finger, a flower or the edge of a monitor. It uses our classic size ladder:
- Micro (1 inch) $1.00
- Mini (1.5 inch) $1.75
- Regular (2 inch) $2.75
- Large (3 inch) $7.00
- X-Large (6 inch) $15.00
- Keychain $8.00, which adds a ring for a backpack or keys
The Horned Bee: with or without a hive
The Horned Bee is the one people build a scene around. Its Size menu lets you order the bee alone, a bee with a hive, two bees with a hive, or the hive by itself. On its own it costs the same as the Bee, from $1.00 for a Micro to $15.00 for an X-Large.
With a hive and one bee, it runs from $5.00 at Micro to $14.00 at Large.
With a hive and two bees, it runs from $6.00 at Micro to $21.00 at Large.
The small hive alone is $4.00, and a Bee Keychain is $8.00. The X-Large comes without a hive.
If you want one bee for a pocket, either design works. If you want a small display, the Horned Bee with a hive is the only bug set we print.
The Spider and the Tarantula Are Different Buys
The Spider is the classic-ladder design, and it is the cheapest way to leave a spider where someone will find it. Micro is $1.00, Mini $1.75, Regular $2.75, Large (3 inch) $8.00 and X-Large (6 inch) $15.00. The Keychain is $9.00. The Large and Keychain cost a little more than the same sizes of our other bugs.
The Tarantula is a separate, more detailed sculpt with textured legs. It has no size menu. Choose No for the tarantula on its own at $7.00, or Yes for $8.00 and it comes with a ring for a backpack, a lanyard or keys. It is also part of our keychain collection.
Both spiders hold a pose well. Bend the legs over the rim of a pen cup or the edge of a shelf and they stay there. The Spider suits a prank or a party bag. The Tarantula is the better gift for someone who keeps a real one.
The Snail and the Slug Are the Smoothest Movers
With no legs to get in the way, the Snail and the Slug are jointed along their whole length. They flow through your fingers, curl into a spiral and hold whatever slow bend you leave them in.
The Slug is all body, which makes it one of the smoothest fidgets we print.
The Snail stretches and curls the same way, and its shell rides along on top. Its color is listed as "will vary", so if you have a preference, type it in the Custom color box.
Both use the same sizes and prices: Micro (1 inch) $1.00, Mini (1.5 inch) $1.75, Regular (2 inch) $2.75, Large (3 inch) $6.00, X-Large (6 inch) $15.00, and Keychain $7.00.
The Round Caterpillar Is Built to Roll in Your Hand
The Round Caterpillar is made of rounded segments with a joint between each one. It inches, arches and coils, and because the body is round, it rolls between your fingers. It fits a hand of any size, which makes it an easy choice for children and adults alike.
It has the same sizes and prices as the Snail and the Slug, from a $1.00 Micro to a $15.00 X-Large, with a $7.00 Keychain.
If you are not sure which of the seven you would actually fidget with, start here or with the Slug. They are the two that feel good in the hand without any posing.
Which 3D Printed Bugs Suit a Child, a Desk, a Prank or October
For a young child, a Regular (2 inch) or Large (3 inch) Round Caterpillar, Slug or Bee is big enough to grab and flex without fiddling. Micro pieces are a choking risk, so keep them away from children who still put things in their mouths.
For party favors, the Micro Bee, Horned Bee, Spider, Snail, Slug and Round Caterpillar are $1.00 each. One of every Micro costs $6.00.
For a desk, a Large Slug or Round Caterpillar is the quiet fidget. A Large Spider on the edge of a monitor is the conversation starter.
For a prank, a black Micro or Mini Spider in a shoe, a lunchbox or a sugar bowl does the job for under $2.00.
For Halloween, an X-Large (6 inch) Spider or a Tarantula makes a shelf decoration you can reuse every year. Our Canton Trade Days booth is open October 1 to 4 and October 29 to November 1, so you can order online and pick one up at either show.
For a bag or keys, the Snail, Slug and Round Caterpillar Keychains are $7.00, the Bee Keychain and the Tarantula with a ring are $8.00, and the Spider Keychain is $9.00.
Colors for Bugs: Real, Bright or Surprise
None of these seven has a color menu. You choose the color by typing it in the Custom color box above Add to cart, and any color costs the same.
Real colors suit the spiders and bees best. Black or brown makes a spider look like it belongs on a web, and yellow and black reads as a bee from across the room.
Bright colors suit the Round Caterpillar, the Slug and the Snail. Nobody expects a lime green slug, and that is the fun of it.
Two colors can be written in the box too, such as "yellow bee, white hive". If we are out of a color, we message you with the closest match before we start printing.
Common Questions About 3D Printed Bugs
Can I get a tarantula in my pet's colors?
Yes. Type the colors in the Custom color box, such as "black body, orange legs". We read every request before printing and message you if a color is out.
Can I leave a spider outside for Halloween?
Not for long. PLA softens above about 140°F, so a porch in direct sun or a hot car can warp it. Indoors on a shelf out of direct sun, it will come back out next October looking the same.
Why is the Tarantula only one size?
It is a different, more detailed sculpt from the Spider, and it is sold at one size with a keychain option. If you want a spider in a particular size, choose the Spider and pick from its six sizes.
How long does one take to arrive?
Each bug is printed after you order, inspected joint by joint and shipped in 1 to 3 business days. The carrier's transit time comes on top of that.
Pick 3D Printed Bugs by How They Move, Then Size
If you want something that grips and poses, choose a spider. If you want something smooth that flows through your fingers, a slug, a snail or the caterpillar. If you want a small scene, the Horned Bee with its hive. If you want the classic bug in bright stripes, the Bee.
Then check the size menu. Six of these 3D printed bugs start at $1.00 for a Micro and reach $15.00 at 6 inches, and the Tarantula is $7.00, or $8.00 with a ring.
At Cosmic 3D Creations, every bee, spider, snail, slug and caterpillar is printed to order in Como, Texas, in the color you type, and flexed joint by joint before it is packed. Orders over $35 ship free, and you can order online and pick up at our Canton Trade Days booth, Booth 4268 and 4269. The show dates are on our events page.