# Fossil Pushes Insect Mimicry of Flowering Plants Back 99 Million Years 2026-08-07T09:44:34+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A moth lacewing fossil preserved in amber shows that insects mimicked flowering-plant leaves 99 million years ago, according to a paper in Insect Science reported by The Hindu. The finding pushes back the earlier fossil record for this behaviour by about 50 million years. Named Dryadithone cretacea, the insect had broad, intricately veined wings that copied a leaf’s midvein, feather-like structure and netted venation. The discovery suggests that insects responded to the rise of flowering plants not only as food or habitat, but also as models for defensive camouflage. Mimicry can help insects evade predators or attract prey. Examples today include the dead leaf butterfly and the orchid mantis, while conservationist Aswathi Asokan told The Hindu that mantises and caterpillars in Indian cities also resemble bark, twigs and leaves. ## Coverage - thehindu.com Tags: amber, evolution, flowering plants, fossils, insects Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/fossil-pushes-insect-mimicry-of-flowering-plants-back-99-million-years/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/fossil-pushes-insect-mimicry-of-flowering-plants-back-99-million-years/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.