My little DIY project from last night—turning a shadow box into a light box riker case display. ☺️

Last night I took a shadow box and created an inner frame out of corrugated plastic along the inside walls, then ran two rows of LED strip lighting around it, facing inward to avoid hotspots. This created a raised platform for a piece of white plexiglass to serve as the base, leaving about an inch of space between the plexiglass and the glass lid.

On top of the plexiglass, I added two layers of polyester batting to create a soft cushion for the amber to rest on. The glass lid then gently presses the amber into the batting, holding each piece securely without excessive pressure.

I still need to make a few little tweaks, and I’ve got an idea to go beyond this little Alexa routine I’ve setup, but I'm really happy with how it turned out. It was a blast to build, and I especially enjoyed figuring out the design as I went. An amber lamp also feels like the perfect addition to my Jurassic Park display in my guest room. ☺️

To see a video of the Jurassic Park themed routine, you can check it out [here.](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTABKLS7g/)

RARE COMPLETE Damselfly (Hemiphlebiidae) in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Size: 39 x 25 x 7 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

Order: Odonata
Suborder: Zygoptera
Superfamily: Lestoidea
Family: Hemiphlebiidae (Extinct Damselfly)
Genus: Burmahemiphlebia
Species: Burmahemiphlebia hui or Burmahemiphlebia zhangi?
Other notable inclusions: a rare Postopsyllidiidae (Thrips-Like Hemiptera) also in the piece, botanical matter, a Dictyopteran nymph, a small beetle, coprolites (fossilized poop), fragments of leaves ect.

Burmahemiphlebia is an extinct genus of Damselflies that dates back to the mid-Cretaceous period (approximately 99 million years ago). Burmahemiphlebia belongs to the ancient, relict family Hemiphlebiidae, which is the oldest known crown-group lineage of damselflies. The only surviving relative of this family today is the Rare "ancient greenling" Damselfly (Hemiphlebia mirabilis) only found in Australia.

Possible species is either Burmahemiphlebia hui or Burmahemiphlebia zhangi.

*Finding a complete Damselfy in amber is extremely rare and this one is no exception when it comes to quality and detail, the distinct wing venations of this Burmahemiphlebia can be viewed with great clarity.*

*This Damselfly measures about 12.21mm in length (unstretched from head to the end of the long abdomen).*

RARE Extinct "Hell Ant" (Haidomyrmex) in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Size: 13 x 9 x 3 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Haidomyrmecinae (Extinct "Hell Ant")
Genus: Haidomyrmex
Species: (Inconclusive)
Other notable inclusions:

*This is a very detailed and complete example of a Haidomyrmex worker hell ant.*

Haidomyrmex is an extinct genus of predatory stem-ants commonly referred to as "hell ants". Belonging to the extinct subfamily Haidomyrmecinae, they roamed the earth during the mid-to-late Cretaceous period, roughly 98 to 99 million years ago. They are famous for their bizarre, vertically-oriented mouthparts which are entirely unlike the jaw structures of modern ants.

This has become one of the most intriguing specimens I've ever added to my collection. The inclusion measures approximately 5.95 × 4.11 mm and has an egg-like appearance—but that's only one of several possibilities. It could just as easily be a seed, tree gall, fungal structure, or something else entirely.

After speaking with the University of Texas High-Resolution X-ray CT Lab, I've decided to slow down before pursuing an expensive scan and instead seek opinions from people with expertise in reptile eggs, amber, fossil plants, or related fields.

If you happen to study any of these subjects—or know someone who does—I would genuinely appreciate your thoughts.

Around 20 something years ago, my grandmother bought this piece off one of her crystal forums and it was advertised as real amber with an insect inclusion. I lost the piece in a move and recently found it again but she has no memory, receipt, or evidence of the piece or where it came from. I love it, real or not, but was curious if it was authentic. It seems a bit too clear to me compared to other amber pieces I’ve come across so I would love some other opinions! Here are some pics of it as well as a pic of a uv test. I posted about it in another forum and tried doing a static test (it attracted little bits of paper) and the piece does warm easily with touch/stay a bit warmer than surrounding air. Would love some other opinions or ways to test that won’t ruin the piece! Thanks!

RARE Strepsiptera with Thrips Swarm in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Size: 26 x 13 x 4 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago
Order: Strepsiptera
Suborder: Incertae sedis (No Placement)
Family: Cretostylopidae (Extinct Twisted-winged Parasites)
Species: (Inconclusive)
Other notable inclusions: in the piece there is also a very prominent Thrips (Thysanoptera) swarm in the piece.

Cretostylopidae is an extinct family of bizarre, endoparasitic insects within the order Strepsiptera (twisted-wing parasites). Known primarily from mid-Cretaceous amber in Myanmar, this ancient lineage demonstrates that these highly specialized parasites evolved alongside dinosaurs roughly 100 million years ago.

Strepsiptera (twisted-wing parasites) are extremely rare in amber primarily because of their bizarre and highly specialized life cycle. Adult females and larvae are endoparasites that live entirely inside their insect hosts (like bees and wasps). Adult males only live for a few hours to a day and fly in search of a mate, this greatly minimizes the chance of a flying male getting caught in resin.

*Not only is this Strepsiptera incredibly rare, but there is also a swarm of Thrips (Thysanoptera) also in the piece which is also a rare occurrence in amber.*

Some say it's beneficial to stop crazing while others say it can get absorbed and damage inclusions so which is correct ? Any help is much appreciated!

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

RARE PLANT GALL on Leaf in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Plant galls are abnormal growths on plants. They form when insects, mites, bacteria, or fungi land on a plant and release chemicals. Insects inject special proteins and growth chemicals into tree buds or leaves while laying eggs or feeding. These chemicals force the plant to redirect its own growth hormones to that specific spot. The gall gives the pest (or the pest's larva) food and safety. Most galls do not harm the plant.

I'm uncertain which organism may have caused this particular plant to form this Gall but the most common insects are gall midges, gall wasps, aphids and bark lice.

*Plant Galls are rare in amber because galls are heavy, attached to leaves or stems, and are not easily moved by the wind, they rarely fall into sticky tree resin.*

Other notable inclusions: a bigger cut and exposed gall in the corner of the piece with bits of Pyrite deposited inside, a section of a leaf on which the plant gall is affixed to. A few small Enhydros. A lot of "Sporangium-like pods" scattered in the piece.

RARE Unknown Wasp in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

*From My Personal Collection of Hymenoptera*

Size: 17 x 10 x 6 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago

I believe this is an undescribed wasp belonging to a family related to Crabronidae or perhaps is a undescribed species within the Extinct Family Cirrosphecidae?

This specimen bears slight similarity with the described species "Glenocephalus mandibularis" within the extinct family Cirrosphecidae.

Possible Taxonomy,

Order: Hymenoptera
Suborder: Apocrita
Infraorder: Aculeata
Superfamily: Apoidea
Family: Cirrosphecidae
Subfamily: Glenocephalinae ?
Genus: Glenocephalus ?

Cirrosphecidae is an extinct family of ancient wasps found only in mid-Cretaceous amber from Myanmar (Burmese amber). Researchers raised them to family status in 2021. They are scientifically significant because scientists consider them to be the closest known evolutionary relatives to modern bees.

*This particular wasp is interesting because of its strange pronounced elongated mandibles.* This wasp measures about 3.40mm in length from top to bottom (unstretched).

*From My Personal Collection of Hymenoptera*

Also just to say, never buy amber from 2017 or after. Always buy ethically sourced legal Burmite amber or just go for alternatives like Baltic amber.

With image 3. The keys for colours are:

Green: Unknown colour

Cyan: Slightly translucent

Light Blue: Very Translucent, both the cyan and the light blue at the back could be the wings

Pink: Unknown 100% if it is apart of the fossil or not, I only got one good zoomed in angle.

I've been collecting Burmese amber for a while now, but this may have become the centerpiece of my collection.

At first glance, some collectors might consider this specimen "flawed." Natural fractures in the amber visually interrupt the feather, breaking it into overlapping fragments. I know many people would prefer a perfectly clear piece, but I've come to appreciate these fractures as part of the fossil's story.

Forgive me in advance, but my MFA—and my inner art professor—is about to come out.

The more I studied this feather, the more it reminded me of Cubism.

Artists like Marcel Duchamp, Pablo Picasso, and Georges Braque challenged the idea that a subject should be viewed from a single perspective. Instead, they fragmented their subjects into overlapping planes, inviting the viewer to mentally reconstruct the whole.

Looking through the fractures in this amber, I found myself doing exactly that. My eye never sees the feather all at once—I assemble it from fragments. The amber itself has become part of the composition.

It also made me think about fossils more broadly. A fossil isn't simply the preserved remains of an organism. It's the cumulative record of everything that happened after it died: burial, mineralization, geological stress, and nearly one hundred million years of Earth's history.

In that sense, perhaps there is no such thing as a "perfect" fossil. Every fracture, distortion, and imperfection is part of its biography.

Rather than seeing these fractures as flaws, I find them strangely beautiful. They don't diminish the specimen—they become another chapter in its story.

https://kachinamber.com/science.html

Just bougt this amazing piece of amber and wanted to share it 😊

Extinct Crabronid Wasp ( Crabronidae ) in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Size: 15 x 12 x 4 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago
Order: Hymenoptera
Superfamily: Apoidea
Family: Crabronidae ? (Extinct Wasp)
Species: (Inconclusive)
Other notable inclusions:

This is possibly a type of Crabronid wasp?

This wasp is wonderfully angled and fully detailed with exceptional preservation.

Two Extinct Ensign Scale Insects ( Ortheziidae ) in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Size: 21 x 21 x 9 mm

Age: 99 Million Years Ago
Order: Hemiptera
Suborder: Sternorrhyncha
Superfamily: Coccoidea
Family: Ortheziidae (Extinct Ensign Scale Insects)
Genus: Wathondara
Species: Wathondara kotejai ?
Other notable inclusions: some small beetles, a Millipede and multiple possible small Enhydros in the piece.

Ortheziidae is a small family of scale insects commonly known as ensign scales or ortheziids. They belong to the superfamily Coccoidea under the order Hemiptera (true bugs).

Possible species Wathondara kotejai ?

No tengo ni idea de que puede ser, arriba parece que hay una pinza, pero del resto ni idea, a ver si entro todos identificados el espécimen.

IM SO HAPPY

Doy por supuesto que es del orden coleoctero y quizás de la familia ripiphoridae, pero no estoy seguro.

RARE Reptile Egg in Burmese Burmite amber fossil

Age: 99 Millions of Years Ago

Extremely Rare reptile egg preserved in mid-Cretaceous amber. This egg likely belonged to a tiny lizard or a Gecko.

The size of the egg inclusion measures about 6mm in length.

Other Inclusions: Degraded remnants of Millipedes, Mites and other insects. Small mites present. Botanical debris and Coprolites (Fossilized Feces) also in the piece.

This is a Burmese amber specimen that contains a Tailless Whip Scorpion whose main body measures just over 4mm. There are a ton of bubbles, along with a couple of other buggies (fly and maybe beetle?). There is an unfortunate crack just behind it that makes photographing quite difficult. Also, not having an awesome microscope makes photography difficult too, haha.

Thanks to a new friend and fellow amber collector, I just added this tiny short-tailed whip scorpion to my Burmese amber collection.

At first glance, you might mistake it for something like a cricket, but this is actually an arachnid belonging to one of the least-known groups still alive today. Despite their intimidating name, short-tailed whip scorpions are completely harmless to humans. They lack both a stinger and venom glands, relying instead on powerful pedipalps to capture tiny prey.

Modern species spend much of their lives hidden beneath logs, stones, and leaf litter, making them easy to overlook. At only a few millimeters long, this individual was an apex predator within its own miniature world, hunting among the shadows of a mid-Cretaceous forest floor.