springtail (snow flea)

Springtails are fascinating little creatures that used to be considered insects but aren’t anymore. They’re extremely tiny (2-6 mm long), so even though they are among the most numerous animals visible without magnification, people rarely notice them. There are many different kinds of springtails and they are found all over the world, including the Arctic. In extremely cold climates, springtails dehydrate themselves and go into a dormant state to survive the winter. These photos show several different springtails found in the same small puddle of melting snow.