Water springtails
Podura aquatica · Aquatic life
Whole animal · Photo: Philippe Garcelon / CC BY
Also called Springtails, Water springtail, Podura, Collembola
How to identify Water springtails
- Tiny dark blue gray to black specks up to about 1/16 inch on the water surface
- Gather in large rafts that look like pepper or soot sprinkled on the water
- Jump into the air when touched using a forked tail under the body
- Six short legs; no wings
Similar species
Black algae flecks and pollen do not jump. Water fleas and copepods swim underwater rather than sitting on the surface.
Profile
| Season | Seen on calm water surfaces from spring through fall, sometimes in large rafts. |
|---|---|
| Starts | Rafts often appear in cool, calm weather |
| Depth | On the water surface |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Drift and hop along the surface film |
| Habitat | Still surfaces of ponds, puddles, ditches and sheltered coves, often against shorelines, docks and floating debris. |
Why it matters in a lake
Harmless decomposers that feed on bits of dead plants, algae and fungi. Close relatives of insects that are often mistaken for pepper, soot or fleas on the water.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Occasional
- Oregon: Occasional
- Wyoming: Occasional
Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Collembola |
| Order | Poduromorpha |
| Family | Poduridae |
| Scientific name | Podura aquatica |
Water mites
Fishing spiders
Daphnia (water flea)
Midge larvae (bloodworms)
Keratella (spined rotifer)
Mosquito larvaeNeed a hand?
Found it in your lake?
Send us a photo and we will identify it and tell you what it means for your lake.
Idaho / Wyoming (208) 501-4531Oregon (541) 280-0596