Springtail Sminthurinus niger on a clay flower pot

Springtail and X2. Lepidocyrtus sp. Something else in the background

Springtail on a water barrel lid X4. Lepidocyrtus sp.

A return visit to Swell Wood for more springtails. Numbers were definitely down on previous visits.

Springtails on the pond edge X2.

Sminthurides aquaticus

.... with what looks like a spider mite on its back.

Globular springtail on a clay pot. Focus stacked using zerene

A mixed bag of springtails trapped by ice in a bowl in my garden. It was evident that most were still alive due to the antifreeze properties they have.

Our garden wildlife pond is home to large numbers of these aquatic springtails (Sminthurides aquaticus) at the moment. I thought I'd resurrect my "springtail set-up" and have a go at photographing their interesting courtship behaviour.

The males have angled antennae with a few specialised setae. They interlock their antennae with a female and are then lifted off of the ground. Mature males are much smaller than females. I suspect that the female in this image is a juvenile. Both individuals <0.5mm.

Canon 5D Mk III + MP-E lens (at 5x magnification) + 1.4x tele-extender + 25mm extension tube + MT24-EX flash.

One of the larger springtails (Collembola). Apparently, paintbrushes are the standard method of springtail-wrangling.

Thanks to Franz Janssens for ID correction.

This little beauty was taken by Eddie on my camera, I cannot believe how small this was, smaller that a pin head, I would never have spotted it in a milion years, but now I know what to look for..... taken at 5 x mag, with not a great flash set up, but once I get the flash set up I'm sure I'll get the hang of this lens, thanks again Eddie!

Springtails X4

Springtail on a fence rail. Focus stacked using zerene. Probably Isotomurus maculatus

2.5mm - 3.0mm lg.

Globular springtail on a water barrel. Focus stacked using zerene. See www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/31194740980/ for a 3D version

Mag 3.08, real size 1.8mm

Quite a few of this species around today including some quite striking individuals. Here's a large (approaching 1.5 mm) red-backed female with white areas on the side of the abdomen. The clearly visible sub-anal appendage (SAA) confirms the gender.

[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. Three images blended in PSE. Cropped.]

Globular springtail on the greenhouse roof X4. Focus stacked using zerene

Springtails on compost bin rim. Focus stacked using zerene

Isotomurus, maybe I. palustris

Petit collembole parti à l’assaut d’un gastéropode

Je ne cherchais pourtant pas la petite bête lorsque j’ai pris cette photo (je ne l’avais d’ailleurs pas vue). Je lui trouve une bonne bouille, avec ses grands « yeux » et ses antennes qui paraissent trop grosses pour lui.

Je pense qu’il s’agit d’un individu du genre Entomobrya, avec son corps velu et le point noir entre les antennes.

Les collemboles sont des arthropodes. On en dénombre environ 7900 espèces dans le monde, dont plus de 2000 en France. Ils sont généralement de très petite taille (quelques millimètres) et vivent dans les premiers centimètres du sol, à l’abri de la lumière directe, mais de nombreuses espèces vivent à la surface. Au jardin, on les trouve dans le compost, les jardinières et dans les endroits où le taux d’humidité est élevé.

Ils sont d’excellents bio-indicateurs de la qualité des sols. En avoir dans son jardin est un atout, même si certains peuvent avoir envie de grignoter vos radis. Ils participent activement à la fertilisation des sols (aération du sol, décomposition et minéralisation de la matière organique, dissémination de la microflore bénéfique). Ils peuvent aussi consommer des champignons pathogènes, ce qui limite l’apparition de maladies fongiques sur les plantations.

Ils apprécient une forte hygrométrie et s’accouplent généralement au cours de périodes humides. Les œufs éclosent environ 10 jours après la ponte et les larves ressemblent aux adultes. Leur cycle de vie est d’environ un an.

Ils ont évidemment aussi de nombreux prédateurs, comme les araignées, les acariens, les fourmis et les coléoptères (sans oublier le jardinier qui espère sauver ses radis à grands coups d'insecticide).

Sources : www.jardiner-autrement.fr et Jardinez avec les insectes (Vincent Albouy, éditions Terran)

A tiny springtail exploring a gastropod

However, I was not looking for the little creature when I took this photo (I had not seen it). I find it has a good face, with its big "eyes" and its antennas that seem too big for it.

I think it is an individual of the genus Entomobrya, with its hairy body and the black dot between the antennas.

Springtails are arthropods. There are about 7,900 species in the world, including more than 2,000 in France. They are generally very small (a few millimeters) and live in the first centimeters of the soil, protected from direct light, but many species live on the surface. In the garden, they are found in compost, planters and in places where the humidity is high.

They are excellent bio-indicators of soil quality. Having them in your garden is an asset, even if some may want to nibble on your radishes. They actively participate in soil fertilization (soil aeration, decomposition and mineralization of organic matter, dissemination of beneficial microflora). They can also consume pathogenic fungi, which limits the appearance of fungal diseases on plantations. They appreciate high humidity and usually mate during wet periods. The eggs hatch about 10 days after laying and the larvae resemble the adults. Their life cycle is about one year.

They obviously also have many predators, such as spiders, mites, ants and beetles (not to mention the gardener who hopes to save his radishes with insecticide) .

Sources: www.jardiner-autrement.fr and Jardinez avec les insectes (Vincent Albouy, Terran editions)

A juvenile saundersi or something else? Half as big as saundersi and different in color. Found in ground litter.

It is actually a juvenile instar of Dicyrtoma fusca var.1. Thank you Frans Janssens www.collembola.org

Springtails in the compost bin X4

Tomocerus minor, I think

Springtail on the piste. Ok it's actually a piece of melon skin. Focus stacked using zerene

Globular springtail on a water barrel lid. About 2.2mm body length

Another tiny one

Bilobella braunerae (Collembola, Neanuridae). Found under bark of a fallen ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior). Thanks to Jan van Duinen and Frans Janssens @ www.collembola.org for the identification.

Canon EOS 5DII + MP-E65/2.8 handheld, f/8, 1/80sec., ISO 400. Lit with a single diffused flash.

Click for a bigger view!

Springtail herd on the lip of a compost bin.

Strange mould with springtails X2. In the compost bin

Springtails on melon X4 in the compost bin. Focus stacked using zerene

A tiny thing, perhaps around 1.5mm long. One of a group on a damp wooden fence under trees, who scuttled for cover every time I fired my flash, then came back after a minute or so.

Springtails with dewdrops X4

Springtail on a fence rail. Isotomurus palustris I think. About 2.5mm body length

4mm.

found in flowerpot in the garden

Another male Katiannid springtail in the garden this morning. These are particularly challenging to photograph as they won't keep still. It's like they're on a mission; they keep trundling this way and that and rarely stop for a photograph. This individual (~1 mm) had decided to have a rest though, and allowed a couple of shots that I've "blended" in PSE. He's on the inside-edge of a moulded letter "O" on the lid of an old garden water butt/bin.

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

I've been seeing mainly the large, later instars recently, but here's one from a couple of days ago that's a bit smaller (~0.85 mm). 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. Abd.6 in this individual is pale (paler than abd.5) but is pigmented (pale red/orange). Not sure if Frans would classify this a juvenile or adult.

[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.]

ID?

I've seen a couple of these around (they are only a few mm long) and think they are Tomoceridae springtails, possibly something like Pogonognathellus longicornis. Taken in Durham Botanic Gardens, UK.

Springtail on a water barrel with dewdrops. Sminthurinus niger. About 0.97mm body length

I found a couple of these recently, in one particular corner of our Staffordshire garden. In the last few days I'm finding quite a few of them wandering around on an old water butt, a plastic storage box and some plastic seed trays stored in the same area. They seem to be ignoring the other surfaces.

It's very difficult to get decent images of them. They are very active and the structure of the surfaces means they keep disappearing into dips in the moulded surface. I did get this reasonable shot of a male. The males have this characteristic reddening of the dorsal surface.

This is the Katiannid springtail currently referred to as Katiannidae Genus nov.1 sp. nov.. This individual ~1.1mm.

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

Globular springtail X4. Focus stacked using zerene

One of many springtails out and about on a very warm winter day.

Globular springtail raft. I scooped these out off a water bucket with a milk bottle lid. After the photography I dropped them onto a sponge - they do eventually drown if they can't get off the water surface