Baltic Amber
Item 1
This is a rare piece. First there is a twig (or the remains of a twig) going through the amber. But much more importantly, there is a Bristletail, Apterygota, Zygentoma. These are wingless true insects. This particular one is fairly good sized. A superb example of a Bristletail in Baltic amber.
Item 2
A good example of a dance fly, Diptera: Brachycera: Empididae. Good details on this guy. The piece is not large.
Item 3
Lovely clear piece of Baltic with a small, but nice female worker ant, Hymenoptera, Formicidae. There are also 3 (small - but all mites are small) mites scattered around this great piece.
Item 4
Big piece of Baltic amber. This has what appears to be a stem going through the center. There is a wasp (I think) with all 4 wings spread. Also a larvae or millipede (not sure). It is a cool piece.
Item 5
Mayfly - Order Ephemeroptera. Mayfly eggs are laid in water and are hatched within one to two weeks. The nymphs develop for a year or more in water. When they emerge into the air, their life span is counted in hours. Mayflies are very rare in amber. This particular mayfly is in a nice piece of amber, but it is difficult to see. Many microscopic air bubbles impede clear visualization of the animal. Needless to say, this is not a 'cleared' piece of Baltic amber.
Item 6
Baltic amber - extremely rare male wedge-shaped beetle (Rhipiphoridae).
They are one of the most unusual beetle families, in that they are parasitoids - different groups within the family attack different hosts, but most are associated with bees or vespid wasps, while some others are associated with roaches. They often have abbreviated elytra, and branched antennae.
This beetle reminds me of the alien in Predator.
Those that attack bees typically lay their eggs on flowers, where they hatch almost immediately into small planidium larvae that wait for a passing host. They grab onto a bee when it visits the flower, and ride it back to its nest, where they disembark and enter a cell with a host larva. The beetle larva then enters the body of the host larva, where it waits while the larva grows. When the host pupates, the beetle larva migrates to the outside of its body and begins to feed, eventually consuming it.
Item 7
Item 8
I am not sure on this largish piece. maybe it is a beetle, but the amber is not clear and it is difficult to see.
Item 9
Item 10
Good sized piece with both ends "rough". This has a twig inside. It does look like a leaf (part of one) is at the end of the twig.
Item 12
About 2/3 of an inch in size (amber) and the stonefly is about a 1/2 inch. Bottom line, this piece of amber has the rare and massively sought after stonefly, Plecoptera. While fully developed larvae are occasionally found in amber, the exuviae (molt) and particularly the winged imagoes are most common. This is not the molt, but the actual animal. The mature larvae leave the water and often climb up nearby tree trunks to shed their last exuvia and become winged imagoes. As stoneflies develop only a low affinity for flying and usually walk rather than fly in the event of danger, in search of food or to mate, their dispersal in minimal and often limited to the immediate vicinity of their original aquatic habitat.
Item 13
This is certainly a different piece. There is quite a story to weave around this piece. Going through the resin is what I feel to be a stick. Attached to this stick was a ant colony. The resin must have dripped on to the colony of ants some 45 million years ago. Mostly there were female worker ants, Hymenoptera, Formicidae, scurrying around. Part of the hive that housed juveniles was also here. There is a pupa that died immediately prior to hatching. This is the first time I have ever seen that. Must be two dozen worker ants who lost their life in the sap. Part is very clear, part has a rough surface. An amazing piece of amber.
Item 14
Elongated piece of amber with a nice fly, Diptera, Brachycera. Also looks like an unknown true bug, Homoptera.
SOLD
Item 15
Interesting piece. This does have a long legged fly, Diptera, Dolichopodidae. It is not uncommon to see a whitish film (like fungus) on one side and the other side to be perfect. This is an example of that.
Item 16
There is a lot here. First, the largest animal is a caddis fly, Trichoptera, family Polycentropodidae, then there are 2 gall midges, Cecidomyiidae and2 true midges, Chironomidae. Finally there is a male spider, Theridiidae.
Item 17
This is not for everyone. It is a small piece and the animal inside is very small. But hold on to your hats, this is an Annelida. It really is. Please, again, this is for the serious collector.
Item 18
This is a nice piece of amber, with a rare insect to boot. inside is a woodlice, Isopoda, Oniscoida. A beautiful specimen. There is what maybe an ant, but that is difficult to see. If you like woodlice, this is the one.
Item 19
Here is a rare animal, a bristletail, Archeognatha, Machilidae. You can see the three tails on the rear of the abdomen. This is a rather rare specimen.
Item 20
Obstructed clarity piece with a there is a bristletail, Apterygota, Zygentoma. These are wingless true insects. Hard to see with the usual small cracks running throughout this piece.
SOLD
Item 21
A very rare botanical piece of the Cypress family, Cupressaceae, a Thuites twig. Twigs are seldom found in Baltic amber since they decay so rapidly. This particular piece has a very nice twig - almost an inch long. Very nice, very impressive for a collection.
Item 22
An interesting piece of amber. This has what appears to be a flower inside, at one end. The flower is different. The central portion is elongated. fun to look at.
Item 23
Nice specimen of a ground beetle, Coleoptera, Carabinae. Ground beetles lead a predaceous life, primarily inhabiting the ground surface in the forest. Easy to see, located on the side of the amber.
Item 24
A particularly fine specimen of a moth fly, Diptera, Psychodidae and a good gall midge, Diptera, Cecidomyiidae.
Item 25
This contains what is called a false flower beetle, Coleoptera, Scraptiidae. Not particularly beautiful, but also not real common.
Item 26
Nice weevil, Coleoptera, Curculionidea. One side has the white film on it, the other side is perfect. In fact, I have as the main picture - the snout - really a cool image.
SOLD
Item 27
Small, oblong, clear piece of Baltic amber that contains a checkered beetle larva, Coleoptera, Cleridae.
Item 28
Although I am not 100% sure about this, I do think it is a froghopper (spittlebug). Superfamily Cercopoidea do not have any veins visible in the clavus and are extremely rare in Baltic amber. This is a perfectly shaped piece with a large froghopper.
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