Northern Black Fly vs Arctic Springtail
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Northern Black Fly | Arctic Springtail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Simulium venustum | Megaphorura arctica |
| Order | Diptera | Collembola |
| Family | Simuliidae | Onychiuridae |
| Size | 2-4 mm | 1-2 mm |
| Habitat | Forests | Tundra & Arctic |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | North America | Svalbard, Arctic Canada, Greenland, northern Scandinavia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Northern Black Fly
A common biting black fly of northern forests and boreal streams. Larvae form dense colonies on submerged rocks in cold flowing water.
Did You Know?
Females can detect carbon dioxide exhaled by hosts from over 20 meters away.
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.