|
| |
Hymenoptera: Ants, Bees, and Wasps
This order is rather interesting for their variety and obviousness. When
you've found a fossil ant, you're sure you've got an ant. Same with bee or wasp.
Their preservation in the green river is also very impressive, with fine carbon
preservation throughout.
Specimen HYM-01
Size: 8 mm
Other pics:
I love ants! At some of the other Eocene insect sites, such as Florissant Fossil
Beds National Monument in Colorado, what you usually find are flying ants, which
flew over the lake and died. At this site, you find various other ants that were
likely washed into the lake and preserved. Here's a good example of a
well-preserved non-flying ant. Probably a worker.
Specimen HYM-02
Size: 1.2 cm
Other pics:
Big ant! Not sure if this is a soldier or worker but it's certainly big and
outstanding. Taking a wild guess but I'd say this region was very productive
during the Eocene.
Specimen HYM-03
Other pics:
An interesting slightly deformed bee.
Specimen HYM-04
Another slightly deformed bee.
Specimen HYM-05
Another bee...
Specimen HYM-06
A very well preserved bee. The body and head preservation on this piece is
remarkable.
Specimen HYM-07
Bee or wasp.
Specimen HYM-08
Large bee, some interesting coloration on the thorax.
Specimen HYM-09
Another large ant, possibly a flying ant.
Specimen HYM-10
Another ant.
HYM-11
Another ant, looks like a worker.
Specimens on other plates (ORT-04):
A large bee with good preservation on ORT-04, on the
Orthoptera page.
|
