Arctic Springtail vs Garden Springtail
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Arctic Springtail | Garden Springtail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Megaphorura arctica | Bourletiella hortensis |
| Order | Collembola | Collembola |
| Family | Onychiuridae | Bourletiellidae |
| Size | 1-2 mm | 1-1.5 mm |
| Habitat | Tundra & Arctic | Gardens |
| Diet | Omnivores | Pollen Feeders |
| Regions | Svalbard, Arctic Canada, Greenland, northern Scandinavia | Europe, North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Arctic Springtail
A white, eyeless springtail that lives in soil and under stones in the High Arctic. It lacks a furcula and cannot jump. It survives extreme cold through cryoprotective dehydration, losing most of its body water before freezing.
Did You Know?
This springtail can survive temperatures down to minus 30 degrees Celsius by dehydrating itself until it contains almost no free water.
Garden Springtail
A globular springtail commonly found in gardens and agricultural fields. It has a distinctive dark body with yellow markings.
Did You Know?
It can occasionally damage seedlings by feeding on young plant tissue.