Hi everyone!
I noticed we have great discussion topics for birds, arachnids, and other groups… so why not one for Collembola (springtails)?
These tiny hexapods are found almost everywhere—soil, leaf litter, moss, compost piles, even snowfields—and yet they’re often overlooked despite their incredible diversity and ecological importance. They play key roles in nutrient cycling, soil health, and decomposition, and many species have striking colors, patterns, and behaviors that make them fascinating to study.
This thread can be a place to:
Share interesting Collembola observations from iNaturalist
Ask questions about identification, morphology, ecology, etc.
Post resources, papers, or photos that help us learn more
Discuss techniques for photographing or collecting them
Highlight unusual habitats or behaviors you’ve noticed
Whether you’re a seasoned Collembola enthusiast or just curious about the little jumpers you find under logs, feel free to join in. Let’s give these overlooked critters their own space for discussion, just like the birds and arachnids have.
Yep, you can post this on iNaturalist! Though it’s of the subfamily Tomocerinae, likely Pogonognathellus based on antennae length, although we still don’t fully understand the true diversity of the family, so probably best to leave it at subfamily until everything is sorted out. Thanks for sharing! :)
I’ve never actually tried sifting through leaves before. Instead, I pan for springtails (using a plastic lid) which has always worked wonders for me. How does your sifting method work?
The white part is held up a half inch or so from the grey part, allowing things to fall in. I scoop up some leaves, usually down to the dirt, and dump them into the combined white and grey parts. I try to do this near a tree or a body of water to increase my chances of finding stuff. I then just shake it violently until I think most things have fallen through the holes. Then I just take out the white part, and I’m left with a bunch of random bugs, millipedes, spiders, etc. And even better, the sides of the grey part are often too slick for anything to climb up, and high enough to stop the jumpy springtails from escaping! It’s pretty nifty, especially when things are hiding in the winter.
Neanurids have always been some of my favourite springtails! Though I don’t come upon them very often.
Here is a photo I took of the North American version of your springtail (basically, both are orange, both are common): https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/276658113
