Above: the photo at the top shows a springtail of the genus Holacanthella, while the photo on the bottom shows another springtail of the genus Pseudachorutes feeding on a slime mold

Springtails may look like insects, but they actually belong to a completely separate class of arthropods known as Collembola. These tiny creatures typically live in soil, leaf litter, moss, and fallen logs, where they feed on decomposing plant matter and fungus.

Above: Holacanthella spinosa, commonly known as the "giant springtail"

As this article explains:

There are around 9,000 known species of springtails — small flea-like invertebrates — around the world. Many live in dark, humid habitats, but they can be found on all seven continents; some even migrate over snow.

The arthropods rove the earth by flinging their bodies into the air, sometimes rotating 500 times per second, like circus performers shot out of self contained canons. But good luck getting a look at their trapeze show — most springtails are “as small as a grain of sand,” said Víctor Ortega Jiménez, a biomechanics researcher at the University of Maine who has studied the creatures.

Above: Womersleymeria bicornis, also known as a dragon springtail

Springtails come in many different colors, shapes, and sizes. Some have elongated bodies, while others are round/globular; many are covered in colorful patterns, nodules, hair-like structures, iridescent scales, and/or spikes, but some have a smooth, plain appearance instead.

Above: two examples of globular springtails, Sminthurinus henshawi and Sminthurides aquaticus

Most springtails are smaller than a pinhead, measuring about 0.25mm-6mm long, but there are a few species (known as "giant springtails") that can grow to a length of 10mm.

Above: a tiny globular springtail crawling across a beetle's face

These creatures are some of the most abundant macroscopic animals on the planet, with some studies estimating that roughly 100,000 springtails may inhabit a single square meter (10.8 square feet) of substrate. They account for roughly 32% of all terrestrial arthropods on Earth.

They are also exceptionally old, dating back to at least 400 million years ago.

Above: Holacanthella laterospinosa

These tiny, gentle invertebrates are neither pests nor parasites, and they are completely harmless to humans. In fact, they play a critical role in creating healthy ecosystems, because they transform decomposing plant matter and other organic materials into fertile soil.

Above: Sminthurinus henshawi

Sources & More Info:

A Chaos of Delight: Springtails (Collembola)

Missouri Department of Conservation: Springtails

Encyclopedia of Arkansas: Collembolans

PNAS: Directional Takeoff, Aerial Righting, and Adhesion Landing of Semiaquatic Springtails

New York Times: One of Nature's Most Impressive Jumpers: The Springtail

New York Times: Climate Change is Taking a Toll on Mites and Springtails, a New Analysis Finds

Sci Data: Global Fine-Resolution Data on Springtail Abundance and Community Structure

WEEVIL!!!