When science fiction and horror try to capture the unknowable and inhuman other, bugs are a frequent inspiration. The mix of hard shells and viscous goos, stingers and parasitic reproduction, hive minds and metamorphosis – the insect world can feel like aliens all around us. A new project from a colony of LEGO all-stars embraces what makes bugs so different from each other and us with the Plague Mech collab. Eight mechs, each inspired by a different insect, and each highlighting the diversity of talent in the character building space.

Joss Ivanwood (jayfa_mocs) leads with Elytra, the Rhino Beetle. Joss is a creature designer by day, creating models for LEGO Fortnite, and his mocs are always breaking new ground in color use and building techniques, this latest massive mech being no exception. It’s a huge build, where the chunky Ninjago wheels are a small accent note. You can practically feel the earth shake just looking at this behemoth. See it in person at next year’s Brickvention.

Mitch Phillips s next with the bumblebee mech Bombus. Translucent discs bring swarm vibes to the design and exposed cables in the thorax have a gooey quality. Bombus is equal parts sleek and sinister. As always, Mitch incorporates a broad range of elements, like Vidyo straps around the helmet. If we’re lucky, Mitch will follow with a video on his always inspiring YouTube channel.

Sadie‘s weevil mech – Rostrum – is the bug bot I’d feel most comfortable hanging with. Probably because the sad eyes and drooping probiscis remind me of Cornifer from Hollow Knight, who s about the least threatening bug ever. The light blue and black combo is gorgeous, with the trans orange elements adding a nice pop.

Weevil – Plague Mech: Rostrum

On the other end of the terror spectrum we have Lord Oblivion‘s louse mech Holoparasite. What’s worse than a blood sucking pest? One with a mechanical syringe and extra blood tanks!

Louse – Plague Mech: Holoparasite

Ezreel goes arachnid with the orbweaver mech Spinneret. The builder often pair graceful beauty with alien menace, and that comes through with this design that makes great use of constraction armor in black and white for a clean carapace. It’s those four beady eyes that will keep me up at night.

Orbweaver – Plague Mech: Spinneret

[VB] fully embraces the inhuman body horror of bugs with the grub mech Oligopod. Four cyst-like pods on the body house cleverly designed larvae. Is the mech a transport/incubator for these larvae, or is it the adult form that each of those larvae will grow into? The arcing limbs of coiled macaroni tubes make my skin crawl. Antenna arrays make a nice tech contrast to the organic curves. It’s a brilliant (and gross!) build.

The last time Alex_mocs took inspiration from the insect world, it landed him on our shortlist for Creation of the Year. For the Ensifera mech, alex draw on the humble katydid, pairing leaf green with deadly blades.

Katydid – Plague Mech: Ensifera RESURGENCE

Finally, we have Djok‘s Treehopper, the friendliest bug around with a big smile and John Deere colors. Djok’s builds have a knack for making you appreciate the playful geometry of each LEGO element. Here Djok finds synergy between nose cones and technic slopes, contrasting those angles with ball joints. There’s so much personality coming from parts you might not associate with characters.

Thanks to all of the builders for inspiring us with these eight incredible mocs. And thanks to Ari (loafbuilds) for the photo editing that make the collab cohesive and lets every moc shine.

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