# Springtails Swarming on Water's Surface



## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

I was just wondering if my springtails are swarming on the water's surface on purpose, and if so, why do they do it? I see them doing this every few days or so. Just curious.


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## EvilLost (Jan 10, 2011)

springtails float, afaik

they don't have a choice about it


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

EvilLost said:


> springtails float, afaik
> 
> they don't have a choice about it


Well I know they are too small to break the surface tension of the water, but it seems as if they're purposefully going on the water in swarms. So I was just wondering about why they might be doing that.


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## xm41907 (Nov 26, 2007)

Springtails typically aggregate. On the water surface, they may be releasing an aggregation pheromone for many reasons, protection in numbers, sexual attraction, etc. Many insects will aggregate on water surfaces. Ants, in particular, will do this and form a living mass of ants. This helps protect the colony and especially the queen(s) and brood. In college, I used to collect fire ants for research. We would find a nest, dig it up into 5 gallon buckets, then put a slow drip into the bucket. Over the course of a few days, the water level would rise above the dirt, and the ants would be aggregated on the water surface where we could easily scoup up the entire colony and leave the dirt behind.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

There are reports of springtails aggregating onto the surface water in aquariums going back more than 50 years. In addition to the comments on why by XM41907, they can also be feeding on the organics and bacteria that comprise the surface film of the water. 

Ed


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Azriel said:


> Well I know they are too small to break the surface tension of the water, but it seems as if they're purposefully going on the water in swarms. So I was just wondering about why they might be doing that.


Makes sense...they do eat biofilm.


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## Azriel (Jun 15, 2011)

Thanks for the info guys!


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## fieldnstream (Sep 11, 2009)

I always thought they were just surfing...


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

fieldnstream said:


> I always thought they were just surfing...


That's only when you sneeze on the surface of the water. 

Ed


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## gio (Nov 9, 2010)

i get this on my viv to they usally eat the decaying FF's its no prob or other small particles on top of the water


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

I have seen them do this out in nature too. 

They also aggregate on snow...

Google: springtails + snow


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