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Found around or near Siskiyou County Far Northern California. The largest looks like fossilized crystals, the next largest seems like fossilized shells and even a fuzzy thing growing in it, the rock definitely has what looks like the shell of something and then there is a white brown rock. Im not a collector just want to know what these are and if people would be interested in them. thanks for any information.

About a year ago I made a post where I made a post on the forum where I shared some of my more interesting fossil insects I had found at the Florissant Fossil Beds in Colorado. For those uninitiated, the Florissant Formation is an Eocene (Priabonian Stage, ~34 Ma) lägerstatte notable for exceptional preservation of plant and arthropod fossils. My original post can be found here: One of the fossils I showed off in that post was of an insect larva which I had interpreted as a fly (order Diptera) larva, speculating that it may be a botfly larva because it possessed setae which resembled those of a botfly. I had never been super confident in this interpretation, and over the last year I’ve showed the fossil to several knowledgeable friends, paleontologists, and entomologists. What has emerged is a different consensus that I am much more confident with (and is far more intriguing than what I had originally thought!): this fossil is in fact the dorsal view of a caddisfly larva (order Trichoptera). There are several anatomical characteristics present which I had failed to notice initially. To start, I was viewing the fossil backwards. I had interpreted that anterior end as the posterior end and vice versa. Once I had this corrected, it became clear that the insect’s head and thorax are both clearly definable and both eyes are visible on the head. Additionally, small portions of the legs are visible sticking out from the thorax as well. I originally did not see any legs which had informed my original interpretation, but in this fossil most of the legs are tucked underneath the body and not visible. Here’s the fossil. The anterior end faces to the left. Here’s a picture of a modern caddisfly larva sans its protective casing. It is oriented in the same fashion as the fossil, for comparison: Caddisflies are closely related to butterflies and moths (order Lepidoptera) but they have larvae which live in bodies of water. Many caddisfly species’ larvae build little casings out of silk and pebbles/debris to protect themselves, but this is not universal. The larva seen here is not within a casing, so it either died in a rare instance in which it was not in its case or it is of a species which does not build cases. Adult caddisflies have been reported from Florissant, as have fossils of isolated larval casings, but I was unable to find a description of a body fossil of a caddisfly larva. Not to say one doesn’t exist, they just seem to be obscure. So there you have it: a really interesting and unique find from this fossil locality. Just needed another half dozen or so sets of eyes to figure out what was actually going on there!

Maybe a dumb question, do the legs of the trilobite preserve often along with the rest of the animal? When I look it up I see ones with legs that are flat, but I'm thinking 3d. If not, why?

Hey gang, I was hoping to head east to get a few specimens of Brood X periodic cicadas for my collection this season. However my schedule has become packed to the point I am not going to be able to get out that way. Brood X is one of the few I don’t have specimens from. I missed the last time they were up and about! If you live in the area and are willing to grab three each of males and females, shoot me a PM. I’ll provide all shipping materials and labels, and will throw in some fun stuff in trade!

I am quite curious about whether you guys have bought or prepped trilobites in the "old style" (using more "primitive" tools) then went over them with an air scribe or other tool. I would love to see a before and after photo if that's possible.

I have just begun fossil collecting and have acquired a few pieces that are unknow to me. Please help me identify this first puzzling one. Thank you Paul

Last year, I went to a gem & mineral show and (among other things) acquired this piece of amber. The seller assured me that it was amber (not copal), but he didn't know where it was from or how old it was. I examined the piece (and several others) with my loupe before choosing this one, based of the number and variety of bugs in it. I have several spiders, a couple of ants, some mosquitos (one with an engorged gut if I'm not mistaken in the ID), a beetle, and at least one midge, plus a couple of things I can't identify. My best guess at origin is Burmese. Under a desk lamp: Backlit by my laptop screen: Detailed closeups next!

Hello. My first time posting here. I am a new member. I found this today in Southern Florida. Does anyone have insight as to what this may be? It is over 1 pound. I do not have a scale at the moment. Very hard and distinctive impressions that appear to be bug related. Wow. Do you see the face too? Really unique. Kindly. Stephanie

Work has me in Exton, Downingtown this coming week. I was wondering if there are any accessible sites that I a FL boy could find something Older or Different than Shark's Teeth or Miocene era fossils. I'd love to find a bug or fern frond but if all you have is Shark teeth I'm happy to hunt for those too.... Thanks in advance, Kevin