32 Eyecatching Beetle Tattoo Ideas for Men & Women in 2024
In ancient Egypt, the scarab beetle was often found as an amulet or adorning the tombs of the deceased. To the Egyptians, they symbolize renewal and rebirth, which is often why scarab amulets are found with mummies. They are a beautiful species of beetle that come in many colors, shapes and sizes. We totally understand why you would want one or two to decorate your body.
But before you go and get your own scarab tattoo, let us help guide you in choosing the perfect piece of ink. Below we’ll show you the greatest, most stunning and most captivating scarab tattoo ideas of 2024. You’ll surely be inspired with the perfect idea of which tattoo style to get, as well as where to get tattooed on your body.
With that said, let’s begin.
Black and Gray Open Winged Scarab Beetle Triceps Tattoo
Sebastian Echeverria is the artist behind this lovely tattoo. The soft shading in the wings and dark shading in the body and legs add contrast to this piece. I like how crisp the line work is and how the artist designed it with its wings open, the width of the tattoo is perfect for above the elbow.
IG: sebatattoonyc
Blackwork Scarab With Skull and Filigree Tattoo
Many scarab beetle designs are depicted with their wings closed, when an artist creates a tattoo with open wings, there’s so much more to work with. This piece is a mix of feminine and masculine;, the Blackwork comes across as manly, while the soft shading and filigree add a touch of femininity. Kudos to the artist for her skill.
Beautiful Custom Scarab Triceps Tattoo
The whip shading in the wings is pleasant, but the dark whipping in the body of the beetle is what creates the focal point. I like that the artist decided to use shading and not make it solid black; it gives the illusion of a rough texture. A truly noteworthy piece!
IG: fra_koto
Feminine Ornamental Blackwork Scarab Thigh Tattoo
This is a really attractive place to put a scarab tattoo. It’s an elegant, sexy and exceptionally done piece. The pepper shading is nice and dark, complementing the black lace and white highlighting. This is quite a unique design, almost reminds me of a broach.
IG: norbert_hlsz
Double Exposure Color Realistic Scarab Tattoo On Woman’s Thigh
A take on death and rebirth, maybe? I can see Autumn flowing into Winter, which is often associated with the idea of death, but adding the skull (representing death) and incorporating it into a scarab beetle that represents renewal is genius. This is quite a popular theme in tattooing, so if you were looking for a clever play on life vs death tattoo, here’s some amazing inspiration.
Colorful Illustrative Forearm Scarab tattoo
This makes for a great gap filler, the size and composition fit between existing tattoos, although I feel it’s too close to the original work. The colors are bright and bold, but the line work is slightly inconsistent in some areas. The artist managed to make up for that with his packing skills. I like that this piece went on the client’s forearm, another popular area to get a scarab.
IG: readytattooart
Amazing Dotwork Scarab Tattoo on Woman’s Sternum
It’s attractive the way the shape of this design fits the flow of the client’s sternum. The varying softness of Dotwork and the fine lines work satisfactorily with the style of design. This is one tough client, the sternum can be quite painful, but it seems this lady could take the pain. Nice!
IG: misterbeaudry
Bright Masculine Neo Traditional Scarab Tattoo On Guy’s Thigh
The colors are so bright I might need sunglasses. Only joking, but seriously, I’m loving the saturation and the glow the artist created on the beetle’s back from the bright orange and yellow. Astounding line work, the varying line weights keep true to the style of Neo Traditional. @outofstepbooks has all the styles your heart desires, go check out their page.
IG: outofstepbooks
Rainbow Scarab Neo Traditional Above Knee Tattoo
Look at those tiny little front legs! The rainbow “shine” on the wings is a nice touch; I enjoy how it looks like a rainbow. This was a fitting design for above the knee. Good job at creating texture in the body and wings. Angela Emr from Titusville, Florida, is a Neo Traditional artist with some amazing talent; there’s no harm in giving her page a follow @angela.emr_tattoos.
Petite Fineline Scarab Tattoo On Woman’s Forearm
When you think of a scarab beetle, you don’t picture super fine lines, do you? The femininity of this tattoo is gorgeous. Not only are the lines thin, but they’re also close to perfection. You can tell Martika, the artist, tattooing in Hamburg, took her time with this. A lot of people are getting dainty tattoos on their forearms, and this one absolutely fits the category of dainty.
IG: pure.ttt
Blackwork Scarab Thigh Tattoo
As pretty as Blackwork tattoos are, I feel as though a scarab should be done in color because of the holographic effect you’ll often find on their wings. Perhaps a mix of Blackwork and color would have made this tattoo stand out, or maybe the client wants to keep with a Black and Gray theme. Regardless, it’s a lovely thigh piece and a nice simple design for anyone looking for something similar.
IG: boettts
Illustrative Blackwork Scarab Beetle Calf Tattoo
These hand-drawn specimen illustrations found in entomology books from back in the day always make for awesome tattoos. I love that the artist kept the script from the original book and showed off their dotwork shading abilities; the lighter and darker gradients work amazingly together and give the illusion of a rough textured feel. I like the calf for this tattoo; there’s more than enough space to go as big as you want with the design. Kudos to @_mfox!
IG: _mfox
Neo Traditional Egyptian-Inspired Scarab Calf Tattoo
Scarabs in the Neo Traditional style are the definition of perfection. This one, in particular, looks like a jewel mixed with Egyptian Hieroglyphics; the glossy look created by the white and light blue is fantastic. The only thing that could have been done differently is the way the artist packed the color, some of it looks uneven. Great placement for the shape of the design, the calf is always a popular spot. For more Neo Trad, have a look at @wtnorbert’s IG page.
IG: wtnorbert
Amazing Abstract Egyptian Scarab Beetle Ankle Tattoo
Credit to the artist for doing such a terrific job. The lack of outlines on this tattoo is my favorite part. Everything is even and smooth, the only thing that could have been done differently is the black dots in the elytra (forward wings of outer shell); they’re not as smooth and consistent as the ones in the wings. A wonderful color palette, the solid black is a pretty contrast against the brighter colors.
IG: hen_tattooer
American Traditional Scarab Shin Tattoo
There’s something about American Traditional, maybe it’s the bold colors and thick line work. Whatever it is, I think a scarab beetle design works really well with the techniques used in the old-school style. It seems the client is married to this style, meaning they’ve chosen American Trad as the style of tattoo they wish to adorn their body with. A good choice, I love seeing that kind of dedication to a particular technique. This shin tattoo is the right form for the area, and it fits snugly between the original work.
Dainty Feminine Scarab Beetle Calf Tattoo
Wow, there’s something almost angelic about this tattoo. The soft colors against the thick delicate lines also give it a stained-glass appearance. There’s so much to love about this piece. You can see it’s heavily inspired by Neo Traditional, the red circle and green crescent shapes without outlines add a hint of Japanese to this tattoo. This is a fantastic piece, I love it!
IG: koreanhammer
Intricate Neo Traditional Scarab Beetle Tattoo On Woman’s Knee
This is a Neo Traditional rendition of a scarab beetle with a third eye. There’s a mix of thin and thick linework and a lot of blackwork. The muted color tones are still very bright. How perfectly does the design fit among the original tattoos the client has? And she got it done on her knee, that’s badass!
Masculine Old School Scarab and Dagger Calf Tattoo
This American Traditional scarab is the ideal style and shape for the calf, and like many old-school tattoos, incorporates a dagger. I enjoy the solid black shading and color packing, there are a few areas where the artist went over lines with the shading and color, but that doesn’t make this a bad tattoo. It’s a really cool design.
IG: ninja.v.herr
Incredible Masculine Blackwork Scarab Beetle Tattoos
How cool are these two leg tattoos? There’s something creepy about them, but in a good way, obviously. I love the wispy lines and solid blackwork, which contrasts with the subtle gray shading. Mike Scythe is a French tattoo artist in Colmar, and specializes in Blackwork. If you ever find yourself in France, go take a look at his work; for now, you can check out his IG @mikescythe.ttt.
IG: mikescythe.ttt
Black and Gray Above Knee Scarab Beetle Tattoo
I love it when people get their knee blasted; it’s such an awesome spot to get tattooed, and not for the faint-hearted. The cool thing about this piece is that the client can get another bug tattoo on their shin facing the scarab if they wanted to keep with that sort of theme. This design frames his knee really well because of the expanding wings. If you’re into blackwork, then this is a great example to use for your next piece.
IG: violajakuczek
Feminine Fineline Open Winged Scarab Beetle Sternum Tattoo
There’s nothing sexier than a sternum tattoo. I love how they flow with the shape of the torso and give you something to focus on when wearing a crop top or bikini. It’s clear that the client has a black and gray theme going on because this tattoo, like the rest of her tattoos, is blackwork mixed with black and gray. I love the ornamental jewel and cloudy night sky. The artist placed the design right in the center, the way it should be, and showed off their line work skills, as the sternum isn’t the easiest place to tattoo because of the movement from breathing.
Blackwork Ornamental Scarab Beetle Shin Tattoo
Filigree is always such a dainty and feminine addition to any tattoo. The artist is a Swiss Blackwork and Fineline tattooer specializing in only using black ink. I love the soft lines used to create texture in the beetle’s body and the open spaces that add the illusion of highlights. The composition of the tattoo works so well with the flow of the client’s shin; it’s a nice filler and allows for more ink in the future.
Egyptian Scarab Beetle With Ankh Triceps Tattoo
It’s clear this is highly inspired by the Egyptian scarab amulets. Not only is there an Ankh, but the style of the beetle’s wings is similar to what you would find on ancient tomb walls. As you can see, this piece is on the triceps, which is definitely the right spot for the shape and style, and it’s an area where you can actually see your tattoo.
IG: chijink
Egyptian-Inspired Blackwork Scarab Triceps Tattoo
This is an awesome take on an Egyptian Scarab; the artist used dotwork shading and minimal lines to create a soft piece of art on this client’s triceps. The rounded form of the design on the triceps is pleasing to the eye; I think the artist did a magnificent job at capturing this scarab. I’d be happy to have this tattoo on me for the rest of my life.
IG: zeetatart
Masculine Micro Realistic Scarab Beetle Tattoo On Man’s Leg
Tiny is the new big, it seems, micro tattoos are on the rise in popularity, and as you can see, the client is no stranger to getting smaller pieces. I love the glossy appearance of the beetle’s body, it’s very chrome-like. The placement is slightly random and leaves too much space between the other tattoos, which means he’ll have to find even smaller pieces to fill the gaps. This is still a unique micro tattoo, and @zionele really showcased his realism skillset.
IG: zionele
Stunning Feminine Ornamental Scarab Hand Tattoo
A scarab beetle made out of jewels? Simply to die for. I love the soft color palette and glossy look created by the light and dark contrast of colors. The shine created by the white highlights in the jewels is a lovely touch. If there was ever a time to say a tattoo fits someone like a glove, it’s now. This piece flows with the natural shape of the client’s hand and wrist, and the shape of the leaves creates an upward-flowing motion. Credits to the artist for this stellar tattoo.
Soft Blackwork Scarab Tattoo On Calf
This beetle looks like he’s wearing striped pajamas, and I can’t get enough of it. The gentle pepper shading and solid blackwork blend well together, but what’s really pretty about this piece are all the wispy flowing lines that add movement. I think the line work is smooth and without error. If you like this tattoo as much as I do, there’s plenty more where that came from at @dih.art.
IG: dih.art
Gorgeous Feminine Scarab Tattoo On Thigh
Blackwork and Fineline styles are a match made in heaven when brought together to create a single design. I love how the solid black stands out while the soft line work fades into the background. It adds a very mystical and feminine feel to this piece. The thigh is always a good area to get a tattoo, especially a bug or anything with wings, because there’s enough space to design something with open wings. An absolutely phenomenal tattoo!
Floral Black and Gray Scarab Beetle Tattoo On Woman’s Calf
Dotwork is one of my favorite shading techniques, and the way the artist used it for this piece is amazing and compliments the varying line weights. The open spaces in the flowers and beetle wings add depth to the tattoo and accentuate their forms. If this tattoo had been any bigger or placed somewhere else, it would have wrapped around, but the calf was a good choice as the whole piece is on display. Miriam Gattara can be found tattooing in Germany and has a knack for black and gray; why not look for more inspiration on her Instagram @katiniai.
IG: katiniai
Realistic Golden Scarab Beetle Forearm Tattoo
It’s so shiny! This tattoo looks like it was made from gold ink, and I am absolutely loving it. Because the client’s skin is so pale, it truly makes the tattoo pop and appears even brighter. Color realism isn’t easy, but this artist makes it look like a walk in the park. The detail of the reflection is stunning and adds a 3D effect to this already amazing design. Positioning it on the forearm allows it to be shown off easily, which I’m sure the client wants to do. I would like to see if the bright colors hold as the tattoo heals; yellows are especially prone to fading because it’s such a light pigment.
IG: jooa_tattoo
Hieroglyphic-Inspired Blackwork Scarab Beetle Forearm Tattoo
Circles aren’t easy to tattoo, getting them almost perfect takes years of practice and a very steady hand. The artist has clearly been practicing because the circles in this piece are very close to perfection. Blackwork is always eye-catching when it’s done as solidly as this one. The wings flaring up suit the shape of the forearm, overall a great design, placement and execution.
IG: xinaink
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Simple Linework Scarab Beetle Tattoo
The final tattoo on this list, and it’s a simple, minimalistic one. Not everyone wants full color or bold shading, so this linework style is perfect for those wanting something uncomplicated. The artist used fine lines to create the idea of shading and shine and solid black for the legs and crevices. For how small this tattoo is, I think the placement is off, but perhaps the client has future plans to add more ink around the piece.
I hope you enjoyed these awesome scarab tattoos and found the piece of ink you were looking for.
