Bug of the Week #004 - Belted Springtail (Orchesella cincta)
Though anatomically similar to insects (with segmented exoskeletons, six limbs and prominent antennae) the over 6,000 species of springtails belong to a separate-but-related clade of invertebrates that differ from true insects in that their jaws are contained in a hollow cavity in the head, in contrast to all true insects which have external mouthparts. The Belted Springtail, named for the pale bands that run across its abdomen, can be considered an example of a fairly typical springtail; a tiny soil-dwelling invertebrate found in damp habitats across much of western Europe it is a hardy and extremely adaptable omnivore that feeds on algae, molds, bacteria and rotting organic matter, and by chewing relatively large pieces of organic material up into smaller ones it helps to speed up decomposition and return nutrients to the soil around it. Like many surface-dwelling springtail species (but unlike some relatives that live deeper underground) Belted Springtails have an odd fork-shaped “tail” called a furcula tucked underneath their abdomens, and when threatened they will strike this tail against the ground to launch their tiny bodies through the air at high speeds (hence the name “springtail.”)
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Photo Source: Here
