A new star has been born on Instagram, one of the most widely used social media platforms in the world. Spike the Beetle, a stag beetle originally from the Japanese city of Nagano, has won the hearts of millions on social media as a result of its unique drawing skills.

The social media phenomenon known as Spike is a stag beetle-turned-painter that trains with its human teacher Mandy Bryant, who is very fond of her unlikely apprentice.

Speaking to the BBC, Bryant characterized Spike as "sweet and curious", saying: "He is very special. For a little bug, he has a lot of personality." Armed with colored markers between his claws, Spike the Beetle is able to draw miniature paintings using splashes of color he creates while moving around on an easel. Bryant takes photos of her pet and uploads them to Instagram where she has gathered millions of followers. Bryant has auctioned Spike's paintings, with some selling as high as $130.

The stag beetle usually lives in forests or heavily wooded areas and can be found in the region of Mount Amanos near Turkey's Adana province.