Ancient Wasp Fossil Discovered in Switzerland, Dating Back 239 Million Years

Paleontologists in Switzerland have unearthed the oldest wasp fossil ever discovered, dating back a staggering 239 million years. The fossil was found during excavations in the canton of Ticino, where a team from the Cantonal Museum of Natural History of Ticino in Lugano uncovered 248 fossilized insects from the Triassic period. This remarkable find predates the reign of dinosaurs and offers valuable insights into the evolution of certain insect groups following the Permian-Triassic extinction event, a mass extinction that occurred about 251 million years ago. Despite their tiny size, ranging from 2 millimeters to 2.5 centimeters, the fossils are exceptionally well-preserved, providing researchers with detailed morphological information crucial for understanding insect evolution.