Snow Fleas

[RednekF350]

While out in Wharton on Sunday afternoon my wife and I noticed what looked like fleas by the thousands in the snow along the edge of a road. It looked like dirty snow.
I don't know what made us look so close but you could watch them move and jump just like a flea.
The snow looked like it had been covered with pepper.
I did a quick Yahoo search and found that snow fleas aren't true fleas but springtails.
Here is a link to an article about them.
Next time your out on a sunny day in winter stare at the snow and see if you can spot them.
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/critter/insect/snowflea.htm

 

[Teegate]

Interesting! I will have to check that out. Thanks.

Guy

 

[BEHR655]

I guess I'll have to start paying attention. I've never seen them.

Steve

 

[gagliarchives]

Ya learn sumthin everyday...

 

[Bobbleton]

That's so weird! I went to the watergap on Friday and they littered the snow there, too. Some footprints were actually carpeted with the little things! I had no idea what they were, but they were tiny and moved like fleas so i'm gonna go with this. Thanks

-Bob

 

[RednekF350]

My wife was so convinced they were some type of flea that she was was actually trying to keep the dog from lingering in the road so he didn't pick any up.
I kept picking up snow and looking at groups of them and could see they weren't normal fleas.
It never ceases to amaze me what God has placed on this earth to inhabit and flourish in every kind of environment that is encountered.
I can amuse myself for hours in the pines by crippling carpenter ants and dropping them into ant lion depressions!
Scott

 

[Teegate]

My wife was so convinced they were some type of flea that she was was actually trying to keep the dog from lingering in the road so he didn't pick any up.
I kept picking up snow and looking at groups of them and could see they weren't normal fleas.
It never ceases to amaze me what God has placed on this earth to inhabit and flourish in every kind of environment that is encountered.
I can amuse myself for hours in the pines by crippling carpenter ants and dropping them into ant lion depressions!
Scott

Most people I mention ant lions to have no idea what they are. As a kid we played with them all the time. I especially liked to remove the sand around them and watch them.

Guy

 

[RednekF350]

Well it has been ten years since I posted about these insects and they are still interesting to me. The snow today in my woods is crawling (actually jumping) with snow fleas. Looks like pepper until you stare at them for a minute and see them jump. They are called springtails and have the name snow flea because they are most noticeable on snow.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05602.html

I took an iPhone pic which when downloaded and zoomed showed pretty good detail.
Here is one of the pics dumbed down for Photobucket:

 

[Teegate]

Interesting info. I have never noticed them.

 

[manumuskin]

I have a video of them taken by a friend that has so many on a small flowing section of stream that they colored the water surface blue grey.This was taken this January. You had to look close and yes you could see them hopping.The water had to be at freezing because the edges were ice.

 

[46er]

Pretty amazing little bug.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_flea

http://www.esa.org/esablog/research/snow-fleas-helpful-winter-critters-2/

 

[Sue Gremlin]

I discovered a bunch of those last year here in MI. I had never heard of them either until I was out in the yard and realized I wasn't alone. They are am amazing example of a organism and its niche.