Indonesian Caddisfly Agate Specimen
Indonesian Caddisfly Agate Specimen
This colorful agate is comprised of the fossilized larval cases of the caddisfly (Trichoptera), an insect more closely related to moths and butterflies than to the common house fly. The striking tube-shaped forms encased within the agate mass were easily fossilized due to their original structural durability, as opposed to the soft bodies of the larvae, which rarely ever fossilized. The tube forms are colored golden orange to red by their replacement minerals, and they float within a light blue to white agate. This piece is showing details of the larval casings almost throughout the entire surface of the rind, with intermittent pops of the blue agate between. Quite a striking fossil.
This is a rough, unpolished specimen. Please observe images closely for flaws, as some degree of that is normal. Pictured wet and dry.
Approximate measurements:
Weight: 388 grams
Height/Width/Depth: 5.8” x 2” x 2” at widest points
General info: Gemstone Specimens