Springtail on a clay pot X4. Vertagopus arboreus

Springtails on a clay pot X4

On a concrete pot covered with moss.

Springtails grazing on an Acer leaf in the compost bin. Focus stacked using zerene

Orchesella flavescens, 4mm (ID-cred: Frans Janssens)

Shot in August 2010.

Ten handheld exposures at 5:1, stacked in Zerene stacker (PMAX).

Schneider-Kreuznach Componon 28mm f4 reversed on a short bellows.

Mixed light: 1/15s, ISO400 + flash with modular diffuser

High speed springtails on a fence X4. Vertagopus arboreus

Not too difficult here, the collembolan needs to find a more colourful fungi to lurk in.

The springtail is Vertagopus arboreus and is about 1.8mm long.

The fungi is Mollisia ligni

Springtails on the compost bin rim 4X

Springtails in the compost bin X4

Bum shot - springtail on a fence rail

Springtail Entomobrya intermedia on water barrel lid. Focus stacked using zerene

Not much around today, but did see this large (almost 1.4 mm) individual. Frans is speculating that there may be two distinct groups; Group 1 where abd.6 in adults is pale, and Group 2 where abd.6 in adults is dark. This is a mature Group 1 individual. This is the largest that I see them; so could be final instar?

[Part of a garden survey of the "novel" springtail Katiannidae Genus nov.1 sp. nov. that I'm doing for FransJanssens@www.collembola.org to establish the size and differences between the various instars.

Canon MP-E65mm Macro (at 5x) + 1.4x tele-extender + 25mm extension tube + diffused MT24-EX Twinlite flash. Cropped.]

Globular springtail. Focus stacked using zerene

Springtail on a clay pot X4 . You can see the iridescent scales on this

Here's another of the dark-form Sminthurinus springtails that I've been seeing at the local village churchyard. This individual has a dark body, slightly paler and mottled head and solid yellow legs and antennae. This is likely to be one of the dark forms of Sminthurinus aureus.

Occasionally, things work out well in a photograph and here, the yellow and red colours of the laurel leaf certainly add something. I usually look on the underside of fallen laurel leaves for springtails. The smoothness of the leaves creates a nice backdrop for springtail photography.

Canon 5D3 + MP-E 65mm (at x5) + 2x Tele-extender + MT24-EX Twinlite flash. Cropped a bit. This individual about 0.6mm.

Globular springtail X4. Focus stacked using zerene. Taken handheld using a 4X microscope lens on a sony mirrorless body

Small globular springtail on a clay flower pot. Has a nice covering of dewdrops. Sminthurinus niger

Springtail on a fence rail. Focus stacked using zerene. Dicyrtomina saundersi

Globular springtail on fence rail

Springtail on a water barrel

Springtail X4 . Sminthurinus domesticus on a clay pot

Bilobella aurantiaca (?)

Another Collembola, pretty iridescent colour at about 2mm

Springtail meeting on a clay pot X4. Sminthurinus domesticus and Lepidocyrtus sp.

Who can resist a blue springtail with pink babies? Except that babies are something else - see Frans's note. So much to learn...

The adults are c. 2mm long; the young passengers are c.0.4mm. I'm slightly intrigued, because one of the youngsters on the left-hand adult looks like its been impaled on a seta (hair), but I assume its just an illusion?

Thanks Frans!

Telford Town Park, under bark.

Another garden springtail from today, part of my survey. This one underneath a piece of slate. There are lots of mature males and females around on these slate pieces and I'm also seeing the little yellow spheres on the surface of the substrate. I'm wondering whether these might be springtail eggs. No doubt Frans will know!

[Part of a garden survey of the "novel" springtail Katiannidae Genus nov.1 sp. nov. that I'm doing with FransJanssens@www.collembola.org initially, to establish the size and differences between sexes and the various instars. As a result of the initial findings, Frans is suggesting that there are two distinct groups:

Group 1 - where abd.6 in adults is pale and there is little red pigmentation along the dorsal surface of the abdomen, and

Group 2 - where abd.6 in adults is dark and there is (sometimes) significant red pigmentation along the dorsal surface of the abdomen..

Canon MP-E65mm Macro (at 5x) + 1.4x tele-extender + 25mm extension tube + diffused YN24EX flash. Three images blended in PSE. Cropped.]

Springtails on a clay pot. Sminthurinus domesticus

Springtails. Smithurinus domesticus

On a 5 mm diameter Favolaschia claudopus

a few more of these Springtails on wooden fencing, about 1.5-2mm

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Collembola, showing its eversible vesicle cleaning tubes, these multi-function extrudable 'appendages', are used for cleaning the body surface with hemolymph fluid, (which is like the invert equivalent to blood plasma), and the absorption of water and ion transport for osmoregulation, adhering to surfaces, and potentially for releasing pheromones and aiding in mating displays...

Wish I got better some shots of this little fella.

Sminthurus hispanicus

Another new globular Springtail for me. I'm currently enjoying a warmer Christmas holiday than I would ordinarily find in the UK, and whilst exploring I found a couple of these characters for my collection.

I was hoping for a more natural variety of shots, but these were hidden in long(ish) grass and I couldn't track any through the undergrowth so had to settle for these two that had landed on my khaki backpack and neoprene lens case.

Single image @ 5-6X magnification

As the weather was far from ideal we elected to head to Swell Woods for the smaller things.

We found lots of springtails and slime moulds when kept us out of trouble for a few hours!

www.maxthompsonphoto.co.uk

This springtail has exuded a droplet of cleaning fluid, with which it is cleaning its antenna.

Springtail on the edge of a dew covered windowsill. Focus stacked using zerene

Globular springtail on a clay pot. Sminthurinus domesticus

Springtails on a compost bin

Springtail on blackberry leaf

Globular springtail on a water barrel. Focus stacked using zerene

Springtails on a clay pot X4. Sminthurinus domesticus

The last image I posted featured a male of the Katiannid springtail currently referred to as Katiannidae Genus nov.1 sp. nov.. The males are characterized by red pigment on the dorsal surface. I went looking for more individuals in the garden this morning and found these two. These are mature females; both lacking the red pigmentation. The only orangey/red areas are those at the base of the various trichobothria and a few small areas on the head. The trichobothria (or is it bothriotricha?) are sensory organs.

Canon MP-E65mm Macro (at 5x) + 1.4x tele-extender + 25mm extension tube + diffused MT24-EX Twinlite flash. Cropped. Both these individuals a little over 1mm.

springtails