springtails and snail eggs on the underside of a compost bin lid

Globular springtail X4. Taken handheld using a 4X microscope lens on a sony mirrorless body. Sminthurinus niger

Taken in Battle Ground, Clark Co., WA, USA

Springtail on the water barrel

Vertagopus arboreus

Another from today's trip to check on progress on the colony of springtails on a local church wall. Lots were cleaning themselves. They excrete a droplet of fluid and roll it over themselves with their "feet". This one is attending to its antennae.

Canon 5D3 + MP-E 65mm Macro (at 5x) + 1.4x Tele-extender + MT24-EX Twin Lite flash. This individual about 0.7mm.

Courtship ritual- it was brilliant to find another species today... I can't decide if this is Dicyrtoma fusca or not... Frans? I haven't seen a male like this though the female looks very similar. Maybe Stenacidia violacea? The male does have a violet small abdomen... and extraordinarily long legs.

First Dicyrtomina sp. globular springtail I've seen this season. Natural light at 4:1. Focus stacked using zerene

Lots of springtail activity today at the local churchyard. All the "usual suspects" plus this individual. I'm not sure, but I don't think I've photographed this species before.

It's very small (between 0.3 - 0.4mm). It stood out though, with its citrus-yellow colouration against the brown leaf. It was very active, but I managed to nail a couple of decent shots. It's about the same size and shape as the Sphaeridia pumilis I photographed yesterday, but without the characteristic marking behind the head. Could be Sphaeridia pumilis though.

I was very pleased to photograph the Sphaeridia pumilis yesterday, but was not very happy with the image quality. I think that F5.6 with the setup I'm using at the moment, gives too much diffraction with these ultra-small springtails. When I saw this one I decided to open-up the aperture by a couple of stops to F4.5. The detail is better but the depth-of-field is even more miniscule. It's all a matter of compromise though!

I also, mostly use the MT24-EX flash in ETTL mode. For yellow leaves, it'snecessary to adjust the Flash Exposure Compensation by plus two-thirds or one stop. Switching to a darker brown leaf, I had to remember to dial the FEC down to minus two-thirds of a stop.

Canon 5D3 + MP-E 65mm macro lens (at x5) + 1.4x Extender + 68mm of extension tubes + MT-24EX flash. Cropped a bit.

Dicyrtomina ornata

These are very small and speedy!

Bum shot of a springtail on a greenhouse strut X4. Focus stacked using zerene

One of several large individuals from the garden today. 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. In the lateral shot (+ insert) I cannot decide whether I'm seeing a sub-anal appendage (female) or a raised genital papilla (male). I'm yet to see a really "convincing" Group 1 male. What do you think Frans? Also, there seems to be some dark blue pigmentation on the anterior area of the abdomen.

[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.]

Two springtails on a wooden bench

Strangways, Vic.

Mum, Dad, Myself and the dogs went for our normal Sunday morning walk in our local Woods, we couldn't believe the amount of globular Springtails (Dicyrtomina saundersi) which covered a wooden bench, they were grazing on the algae, I've never seen so many in one small area, as seen in the last picture

Do like these shiny little chaps!

Brown Moss, Shropshire.

Globular springtail

Collembola (Allacma fusca) - Kugelspringer ~ 2mm

Not sure what this Ptenothrix Springtail got into - birthday cake?

Taken in Battle Ground, Clark Co., WA, USA

Pogonognathellus sp.

Is it possible to I.D. the springtail at the bottom of the frame?

And for that matter, any suggestion about the mites (Oribatids?).

Springtails on the compost bin rim. Ceratophysella sp.

Springtails under a rotting primrose root

Springtails playing king of the castle on a leaf stem in the compost bin.

More Springtails

Raft of globular springtails

Springtails on puddle. Some springtails live on water surfaces but many like these get stuck if they land on water and often drown. I do tend to rescue them if I see them - have found a credit card is best for this.

Springtails in the compost bin X4. Ceratophysella bengtssoni

Found in fallen leaves in the forest.

Taken in Battle Ground, Clark Co., WA, USA

I did manage one decent springtail shot today, despite the wind a rain. This Sminthurinus aureus was on the underside of a damp leaf. I do love it when they get reflected like this. This one's got a bit of a fairground "Hall of Mirrors" look to it though!

Canon 5D3 + MP-E 65mm (at 5x) + 1.4x Extender + 36mm extension tube + MT24-EX Flash. Magnification 8x. Springtail ~0.6mm. Cropped a bit.

I hope to learn if the setae can determine the sex for this species. I need help confirming the sex of these please.

This one does not look clear enough.

SDIM3574_ds

Springtail on a dustbin lid. Dicyrtomina sp. Focus stacked using zerene

A new one I haven't seen, unless it's a young version of one I've already seen. Found Nov. 1 a few miles northeast of Pittsburgh PA

Started out not a bad day but the clouds soon appeared and turned even colder, but did manage to get a few macro shots and this Springtail, I think this is a Entomobrya unostrigata

Springtail found under fallen leaves. Tomocerus minor I think. Focus stacked using zerene

Group of springtails

I'm so proud that I spotted it.

This one was even smaller.

So cute....😊

Taken in Battle Ground, Clark Co., WA, USA

Thanks to Frans Janssens for ID.

Rescued this springtail from a water puddle using a leaf.

Tiny springtails and mites on the underside of a compost bin lid