Springtails - Sminthurinus species
I went back to the walled garden at Weston Park this morning. There was a good selection of globular springtails to see and photograph. This is a generally uncultivated grassy area with some fruit trees (mainly apple). The springtails were under fallen leaves on the wet grass.
Top left is a dark-form of Sminthurinus aureus and underneath it, another form of Sminthurinus aureus similar to the one I saw earlier in the week. The others are all Sminthurinus elegans (some darker than others). The individual bottom-right lacks the mid-dorsal stripe. These are designated Sminthurinus elegans forma ornata.
Springtails - Sminthurinus species
I went back to the walled garden at Weston Park this morning. There was a good selection of globular springtails to see and photograph. This is a generally uncultivated grassy area with some fruit trees (mainly apple). The springtails were under fallen leaves on the wet grass.
Top left is a dark-form of Sminthurinus aureus and underneath it, another form of Sminthurinus aureus similar to the one I saw earlier in the week. The others are all Sminthurinus elegans (some darker than others). The individual bottom-right lacks the mid-dorsal stripe. These are designated Sminthurinus elegans forma ornata.