# Spring tail that doesnt spring?



## Mac (Aug 14, 2007)

I went looking through some piles of leaves in my backayrd, and found these relatively slow moving white ...well springtails. 

They look EXACTLY like a spring tail, except they kinda curl up when startled. Also they are a little more plump then springs, and seem to prefer cooler temps. 

Its sorta hard to take a pic, but if needed I will.


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## Mac (Aug 14, 2007)

any ideas?


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## salix (Mar 28, 2008)

I think a picture would help.

Deb


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## sounddrive (Jan 4, 2007)

could be dwarf wood lice, do they look like a miniature white potato bug but not quite as armored.


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## Mac (Aug 14, 2007)

well I guess I should have done a little search... here is what they are

White blind Springtails 

- they lack the tail apendage
- move rather slowly and clumsily
- are totally blind
- seem to be much fatter then most springs

here is where I first went
Wanderin' Weeta (With Waterfowl and Weeds): Fighting Collembola!


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## WanderinWeeta (Jan 22, 2009)

Hi,

Wanderin' Weeta here. There is a group dedicated to springtails on Flickr, with loads of good photos of these critters.

Here's the Flickr group. Here's a good photo of one species of the blind ones.


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## Mac (Aug 14, 2007)

thanks, just wondering how did you know to post here?
Is it because I used one of your links?


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## gretchenellie (Aug 7, 2007)

i think i looked through almost all 800+ photos of springtails..


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## WanderinWeeta (Jan 22, 2009)

Mac said:


> thanks, just wondering how did you know to post here?
> Is it because I used one of your links?


Yes. I backtracked from the link.


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## Mac (Aug 14, 2007)

Interesting never knew you could do that.... 

Do you keep any of these species of springs, as food?


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## WanderinWeeta (Jan 22, 2009)

Mac said:


> Interesting never knew you could do that....
> 
> Do you keep any of these species of springs, as food?


You mean food for frogs? I wish. I don't have frogs any more.

I have tried feeding them to my latest pet spider, but she's not interested. Too small, I think. I breed fruit flies for her.


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## Mac (Aug 14, 2007)

What kind did you previously have? Darts?


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## WanderinWeeta (Jan 22, 2009)

No. I'm not a collector in that sense. I'm more of an amateur naturalist. 

I maintained a small frog pond outside my front door; the frogs were wild. Little green tree frogs, and big, fist-sized ones that I never identified. Unfortunately, over a period of a couple of years, construction upstream polluted my water, and most of the frogs died. The last year I was there, I found no eggs at all.

Very sad.


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