Spike, a pet beetle about the size of a thumb, has set the Internet abuzz with his natural talent - drawing.

Holding a felt-tip marker each time between his strong jaws, the slow-moving stag beetle would create abstract art on his mini canvas with colourful crisp lines.

His owner, a 27-year-old teacher named Mandy Bryant who lives in Japan's Nagano prefecture, described to the BBC that Spike is "sweet and curious".

"For a little bug, he has a lot of personality," she was quoted as saying.

Spike's doodles have gained him a following. This month, he debuted as an artist, selling his artwork on eBay.

By Tuesday (July 11), his drawing has attracted 70 bids ranging between US$10 (S$13.84) and US$321.

The winning bidder will receive Spike's original artwork on canvas, a small wooden easel, a photograph of the work being made, as well as a "thank you" note, personalized by Spike with the buyer's name, though "legibility may vary, according to his eBay page.

Ms Bryant, who also owns three other stag beetles, a threatened species, pledged to donate 15 per cent of the proceeds to the People's Trust for Endangered Species, a charitable organisation that works to protect the natural habitats of wildlife.

"I hope that people can start to see insects as any other part of the natural world: beautiful and fascinating. They really aren't as scary as you think," Ms Bryant told the BBC.