Not eating yellow snow is obviously wise advice, but how about snow that looks like a poppy seed bagel? You should also avoid that too, because those “seeds” may actually be tiny critters commonly called snow fleas.
As a video taken at the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge in Massachusetts shows, these little black specks bounce across the snow. While technically called springtails, snow fleas (Hypogastruna nivicola) are a springtail species active during winter. Snow fleas are generally found in groups and their dark-colored bodies are easily noticed against white snow. These ancient insects have been around 410 million years—making them older than dinosaurs.
Springtails are found in habitats all over the world. According to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, they typically show up on top of snow because colder temperautres slow their speeds down “just enough for us to notice their chaotic parkour routine.” That hopping move is done with a forked tail called a furcula that launches the bugs into the air. This long tail is typically tucked underneath the abdomen. However, if a springtail is disturbed or threatened, it will use the furcula to launch its body into the air like a spring. Their acrobatics are so impressive that they have inspired designs for leaping robots.
They can also be found in soil, feasting on fungi, pollen, algae, or decaying organic matter, according to the University of Minnesota Extension. When they move through the soil, they create little pockets of air that help give plant roots oxygen, which helps keep them healthy. Eating decaying plant material helps break down organic matter into nutrients that the soil can use.
Indoors, the jumpy critters are often found in areas with excess moisture, such as near plumbing leaks or poor drainage systems.
Fortunately, the arthropods are harmless. They don’t sting, bite, or suck your blood since they are much more interested in chomping up all of that nutritious plant matter.
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from Popular Science https://ift.tt/HBCJxLU
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