Springtail
Scientific Name: Various species within Collembola, e.g., Folsomia candida, Tomocerus minor
Order & Family: Order Collembola (currently considered a class due to reclassification; however, often still referred to in older contexts as an order by some sources), various families including Entomobryidae, Isotomidae, Sminthuridae.
Size: Typically 0.2 mm to 10 mm, with most common species being less than 3 mm.
Natural Habitat
Damp environments rich in decaying organic matter, such as soil, leaf litter, rotting logs, compost piles, and sometimes in potted plants or terrariums.
Diet & Feeding
Primarily detritus, decaying plant matter, fungi, algae, bacteria, and spores.
Behavior Patterns
Springtails are known for their ability to jump using a furcula, a tail-like appendage folded under their abdomen. When startled, they can rapidly extend this appendage, propelling themselves into the air. They are detritivores, playing a crucial role in decomposition. They thrive in humid environments and are often found in large numbers in soil, leaf litter, and decaying wood. Their population can boom in high moisture and organic matter conditions. They are also known to graze on fungi and biofilm.
Risks & Benefits
Generally beneficial to ecosystems as they help in the decomposition process, recycling nutrients back into the soil. They are not known to bite or transmit diseases to humans or animals. In some cases, large populations in potted plants might indicate excessive moisture, which could indirectly lead to root rot, but the springtails themselves are not directly harmful to the plants. They can be indicators of a healthy, functioning soil ecosystem.
Identified on: 8/12/2025