30 Million-Year-Old Praying Mantis Preserved in Pristine Piece of Amber

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: Skywatcher2011

I have a piece of amber with a gnat in it.

That's all I could afford.

Actually that Mantis is up for auction last sold for like $6000

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

I dance for nickels at Walmart parking lots.

That's a big nope for me.

What kind of tree sap is that?

That Mantis praying for millions of years did not help it get out of that Amber.

originally posted by: Gouldielockstitch
What kind of tree sap is that?

The Most Common Sap is Pine .

a reply to: Zanti Misfit

The most common sap on here is our serial spammer!

originally posted by: Leftiris13
This is cool.
It would look super dope on a stand with a light underneath it.

A multi color led light synced to your phone!

That would be cool. I have them all over my studio apartment.

Eta: not the amber just the lights lol

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2
a reply to: Zanti Misfit

The most common sap on here is our serial spammer!

I Think your Right Mr. Pine . Amber Alert !

a reply to: Zanti Misfit

Shields up, Number One.....

originally posted by: StokeGnar37
I'm also wondering why the mantis are so tiny? Maybe they are babies. Or a tiny species, but I thought prehistoric bugs were always giant sized.

Very cool and pretty fascinating pieces of amber!

Here's a pic of a baby mantis. They are tiny. And of course, cute.



Here's a giant mantis:


The amber is beautiful. I love that stuff. It's amazing that they can date it.

a reply to: StoutBroux

The before and after picture reminds me of one of those "grow bigs" toys you put into water lol

If collecting amber from sellers on Ebay (among other venues) be real careful. There are a number of scammers selling insects that they have inserted into materials like acrylic and copal that have been melted and re-formed. Real amber glows yellow and orange under ultraviolet light and amber floats in water while fakes sink. If you warm real amber it in your hands, it gives off a pine like scent.

There are some scammers that make it look so authentic, that it fools some "experts" to buy it , only to discover the scam when receiving it. By that time, there is no way to recover your money because the scammers change names and accounts. Fake fossils, amber and jewelry have always been problems for Ebay, and almost all of them are outside the U.S. or are U.S scammers operating from other countries that make it impossible for Ebay to prosecute.