Clock Ground Beetle vs Water Springtail

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Clock Ground Beetle Water Springtail
Scientific Name Amara aenea Podura aquatica
Order Coleoptera Collembola
Family Carabidae Poduridae
Size 6-9 mm 1-1.5 mm
Habitat Tundra & Arctic Ponds & Lakes
Diet Seed Feeders Seed Feeders
Regions Europe, Asia, Introduced to North America Europe, North America, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Clock Ground Beetle

A small, bronze-colored ground beetle extremely common across the Palearctic region. It is a mixed feeder consuming both seeds and small invertebrates.

💡

Did You Know?

Its common name comes from the old English practice of placing beetles on a clock face to tell fortunes.

Water Springtail

A distinctive dark-colored springtail found on the surface of still freshwater. It is the only species in its family and forms dense aggregations.

💡

Did You Know?

It can walk on water using surface tension and its water-repellent cuticle.