A piece of amber discovered in West Jutland harbors a previously unknown secret. In the 1960s, an amber enthusiast picked up a peculiar lump of amber without realizing it contained the first known fossil of an extinct predatory midge (Culicoides sp.). This discovery was recently confirmed by insect experts after a detailed examination of the amber piece, which is part of the Natural History Museum of Denmark’s (Statens Naturhistoriske Museum) extensive collection of 70,000 specimens.

The fossil was identified as belonging to a rare genus of predatory midges, which today are found only in Hokkaido, Japan, and California, USA. This finding represents the first of its kind ever and provides researchers with new insights into the historical distribution of these midges. Alicja Pelczynnska, a Ph.D. candidate at both the University of Łódź and the University of Copenhagen, expressed her excitement about the find: “This shows that midges of this genus also lived in Europe millions of years ago, which expands our understanding of their distribution.”

Around 40 million years ago, the climate in Europe was significantly warmer and more humid, creating ideal conditions for the existence of midges. The recent discovery thus offers important insights into ancient ecosystems and climatic conditions.

This fossil may also serve as the missing link connecting the living species in Japan and the United States. Previously, researchers were puzzled by the large geographical distance between the two existing populations. The find in Europe now provides a logical explanation for how this genus may have spread over such a vast area.

Amber is often referred to by scientists as a “natural time capsule” due to its capacity to preserve insects and plant materials from the past in exceptional condition. This find once again highlights amber’s unique significance for understanding the Earth’s prehistoric history.