Soil Springtail
Xenylla humicola
A minute springtail of damp humus, leaf litter, moss, and upper soil layers, usually found where moisture keeps fungi and decaying plant matter abundant. It feeds on fungal hyphae, spores, bacteria, and fine organic debris, helping break down material in the soil food web. When disturbed, it can tuck low or make a sudden springing escape using its abdominal jumping fork, though soil-dwelling species often rely heavily on hiding in the substrate. Its tiny, wingless body is covered by a protective cuticle and is adapted to life between soil particles.
- Type
- Burrow
- Conservation status
- NE