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 enc ased 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 natural windows of a substantial degree of red agate encased in blue, with a preponderance of orbicular shapes - the larval casings display as either orbicular or oblong, depending on their orientation.

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: 601 grams

Height/Width/Depth: 4.6” x 3.4” x 2.8” at widest points

General info: Gemstone Specimens