A comprehensive survey of this field, the study of fossil insects, and their potential contribution to our understanding of the past 1.7 million years. Scientists originally thought that fossil insect specimens represented extinct taxa. Recent research reveals extraordinary species stability, implying that insects responded to climatic change by moving, not evolving, a trait which the author argues makes them more reliable indicators of past environments and climates. This books reviews the fossil record from Quaternary deposits around the world, discusses sample methods and principal identification characters, and points to areas of future research.