Fossil insects in amber. Macrophotograph of fossilised insects (family: Sciaridae) embedded in Baltic amber. The insects are about 40 million years old, from the Upper Eocene era. Belonging to the order Diptera, they are related to flies and mosquitoes, and more closely to present day dark- winged fungus gnats. Amber is a sticky resin extruded by wounded pines and other trees; it traps small insects as it solidifies and hardens. This is one of the few processes by which fossils are preserved complete with all of their soft tissues. This original amber specimen was 40mm in length. Recovered from the Baltic provinces. Magnification: x1.4 at 6x7cm size.

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