Colombian Copal
Everyone should have some specimens of Colombian Copal for their collections. It is truly lovely material with a clarity that is unmatched.
How old is Colombian Copal? The age of Colombian (South America) copal still remains an open question. In fact in some papers you can find uncertain "Tertiary" age (see for example the table in Langenheim's review, American Scientist, 78:16-24, 1990), or in other papers also Pliocene-Pleistocene; accurate determinations made by means of 14C revealed that Colombian copal from the region of Santander is in the order of just 200 years old (Clifford et al., Org. Geochemistry, 27:449-464, 1997), practically recent resin. There are others who feel that certain Colombian copals are in the terms of many millions of years.
Most of the Colombian copal that is offered for sale is from the Andes Mountains in South Amberica. It could be up to 16 million years old. Since I have not had it tested for time, I cannot conclusively say the age. If there is something in particular that you are looking for but cannot find it on this page, let us know, we probably have it! By the way, since this is copal, often you will find surface cracks. That is normal.
A note for those interesting in large quantities. We have large quantities of Colombia copal for sale. Example prices range from $620 per kilogram to about $1100 (polished with good quality insects.) We can supply lots up to 8 kilograms. Let us know what you want.
Item 1
This has a little of everything, a zoo. Cockroach, flies, gnats, Bryophyte, termite wings, just everything. The more you look at it under the microscope, the more you see. Enjoy.
Scanned Image!
Item 2
Good sized chunk of copal. It has a nice worker termite with air bubble coming off the body (decomposition of gases form this). Other strange things also. It does look like someone sprayed lacquer on it so the piece did not degrade.
Item 3
A rather large piece about 2.5 x 2 x .25 inches. Clear and attractive. This has numerous worker termites and some interesting bubbles. Also an interesting spider(?).
Item 4
A lot of old air bubbles that occlude the specimens. This has a beautiful weevil, Coleoptera, Superfamily Curculionidea, what looks like a termite (not sure), 1 caddis fly, Trichoptera and an unknown.
Item 5
There is a very large cricket in this piece. The amber is tubular in shape. The cricket is partly covered with a "fuzz" (common). This is a real nice specimen, but hard to see die to the fuzz. There is also an unknown beetle.
Item 6
A great piece with loads of termite wings - all at one edge of the copal. This has one of the most beautiful fruit flies, Drosophilia, I have ever seen. It also has a pair of mating gnats (rare). You will love this piece. I think this has a juvenile mite.
SOLD
Item 9
This has small air bubbles with makes the piece hard to see through. It is loaded though with ancient life. Flies, beetles and just a bunch more. You will see something different every time you look at it. Pretty good sized - about 3 inches long. This even has a very small cricket.
Item 10
A spider that wants to be a fake ant. Here is the piece. You will never find a cooler piece than this. Look at the image - looks like an ant, eh? Now count the legs - this is a spider, Araneae. It is an ant mimic spider. Talk about evolution at its best. This spider has evolved to look like an ant so it can pass itself off and eat what it looks like. The best example of animal mimicry that I have ever seen. This is one for everyone's collection.
SOLD
Item 11
Clear with a moth fly and another 'regular' fly. Nice piece that will not break the bank. This has a sprig of a Bryophyte.
SOLD
Item 12
There is so much inside this piece. Just a scad of flies (never have the idea of what a scad is - but it is a lot). There is a beetle, termite wings and just about anything you can thick of. This will provide a long time of entertainment under the microscope.
SOLD
Item 13
If you like termites, look no further. Not only that, but the detail on these animals is fantastic. Clear copal, lots of termites, just plain fun. There are some great air bubbles in bubbles.
Item 14
What a piece of copal. The fungus gnat shows wonderful patterns on the wings (very unusual). This has a large planthopper, a few ants, midges and flies. Lots here to keep anyone interested - and the piece is big. Not as clear as some of the others, but what it has inside makes up for it.
SOLD
Item 15
Large piece with a rough side to it. Busy, lots of stuff inside, including a good looking moth, a leaf bract, a fly, what looks like a click beetle, just a lot of fun stuff.
Item 16
This is a curved tubular piece. both ends of the tube are not polished. Inside are a number of termite wings along with the termites themselves. Interesting.
Item 18
This is a very piece of copal. It has some of the strangest things I've ever seen. While there are many, many termites, gnats, midges and ants (all of which are partly obscured by air bubbles) there are the strangest plant (?) formations! I cannot exactly figure them out, especially the big one with radiating spokes. There is one thing I can make out and am sure about - this has hair - mammalian hair! That is practically unheard of. Some animals must have brushed up against the sticky resin and lost a few hairs. This is very rare and very valuable. This piece even has a weevil, Superfamily Curculionoidea: Cossoninae.
SOLD
Item 19
A large piece, long and thick. The most interesting thing about this is that there are remnants of a spiders web throughout the piece. Even looks like a female worker ant pulled part of the web along with her. Cool piece.
SOLD
Item 20
This has an unusual shape. Inside is a nice winged termite, and bunch of fly's, some gnats, a couple of unknowns and the prettiest moss top I have seen. This is a good piece and you will enjoy it. There is even another primitive plant in this one.
SOLD
Item 21
Ever hold something in your hand and just think, wow. This is one of those. Very clear with great air bubbles and a beautiful number of worker termites. Just a lovely piece that stirs the imagination when you look at it.
SOLD
Item 22
Clear with a good size, fun to hold. There is a nice, small spider near the middle and a nice piece of a primitive plant not too far away. Lots of other small animals, including a bunch of flies and other animals. This has many ancient air bubbles.
SOLD
Item 24
Termite wings, an unknown ball of fuzz (very strange) and some ancient air bubbles. Yes, there are some other insects, but they are hard to see. Nice shape and design to this piece.
SOLD
Item 25
This is a big chunk of copal. It has some unusual animals such as a beautiful planthopper, a couple of spiders, a moth, a large winged termite - this is one of those that every time you look at it, you will see something different. It is a great piece of copal. Even large enough to just lay it on a desk.
SOLD
Item 26
This has a good sized planthopper that even shows some of the patterning on it's wings. There is a bee and a few other animals. I must point out to you the very unusual plant twig (small) - the shape of the leaves is very unusual.
SOLD
Item 27
Rather large, about 4 inches x 1 inch x .3 inches, this piece probably has everything. There is a large bee, a pair of termite wings, many different wasps, ants and a few flies and even a Bryophyte. It really does have a lot inside. It weighs 26.7 grams - and we are pricing this one VERY well.
