On our Christmas Day walk, we noticed Snow Fleas all over the edges of the snow banks, tiny flecks that look like pepper on the snow. I knew they were not really fleas at all, but springtails. Checking a bit to learn more about them confirmed that, but what I didn't know is that they are really amazing little creatures.
Their taxonomic name is "Collembola" and while they belong to the group Hexapoda, a category to which insects also belong, they are not true insects! These little critters move by little "tails" which tuck up under their abdomens and are held by little barbs. These are released to allow a quick "spring" away from predators. While they can't control the direction of their jump, they can move fast! Like other springtails, Snow Fleas are in the area year-round, eating decaying vegetation, pollen and tiny organisms on the soil surface--they are indicators of good healthy soil system. They do not bite humans or other mammals.
Interestingly, because they are active in the snow, they are of interest to scientists because of a protein they produce which acts as a natural anti-freeze. Researchers are interested in this protein as a potential aid for transport of human organs for transplanting. Unlike several other proteins, the protein these little creatures produce breaks down easily under warm temperatures.
Next time you walk in the snow on a sunny mild day, take a closer look at these amazing little creatures!
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