# Need wild springtail ID



## Minkey (Jul 21, 2013)

Hello! I am currently hiking in the EBRP of California near Oakland and noticed springtails floating in shallow puddles created from water trapped in hoofprints. I noticed these incredibly striking springtails floating in the pools. They seem slightly wider than tropical whites and are a very dark blue or blackish color and about 5-10% of them are a blood red color. I know they are springtails by how they launch themselves when blown and by the fact that they don’t break the surface tension of the water and having 6 legs. I only have photos from my phone so the quality isn’t great. Anyone recognize these?


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## Bunsincunsin (Feb 11, 2008)

There appear to be at least four species present in the photos - a white species, an orange/yellow globular type, a larger grey and the smaller pink/purple.  The grey and pink/purple species look to be Poduramorpha springtails. The pink/purple species could possibly be a _Brachystomella sp_.


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## Minkey (Jul 21, 2013)

Bunsincunsin said:


> There appear to be at least four species present in the photos - a white species, an orange/yellow globular type, a larger grey and the smaller pink/purple. The grey and pink/purple species look to be Poduramorpha springtails. The pink/purple species could possibly be a _Brachystomella sp_.


So freakin cool. I didn’t even see the yellow ones until you mentioned it. The ‘pink’ ones where actually a deep crimson red, the colors washed out in the camera.


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