Amazing Mothra, a Huge Fossil Moth in Amber

Name: Amber with Insects (Lepidoptera; Diptera; Coleoptera; Spider)

Age: Pleistocene to Pliocene

Size: mm (25.4mm=1 inch): 87 by 35; 31.2 grams

Location: Andes mountains in Colombia


Huge Fossil Moth in AmberIn many thousands of pieces of amber I have searched, moths (Order: Lepidoptera) are relatively hard to find, not quite rare, but usually very small, with wings contracted. Never have I seen such a specimen as this, huge, complete as far as I can tell, and amazingly, with wings splayed as if in flight. This Lepidopteran measures 10 mm from head to tip of abdomen, and fully 18 mm including antennae and wings, front to back. The wingspan around the curvature is 25+ mm, that, is a full inch.Large spider in amber

Our fuzzy winged Mothra shares her or his eternal polymer tomb with a plethora of some 40 Dipterans (flies and midges) of many families, 2 small Coleopterans (beetles), and a large "jumping" spider that measures some 5 mm.

This is an amazing specimen that is a rarity among the best. Many more pictures of the moth in amber are provided below.


2nd Page of pictures

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