Springtail Wiki

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Compare species

Put up to four species side by side. Every answer shows how well it is backed. A blank means nobody has recorded it. It never means the animals are alike.

Each drawing is sized from its recorded adult length. Real animals vary, so use the drawings as a guide.

How to tell them apart

No recorded feature tells any of these animals apart. They may look alike, or the features may not be recorded yet.

Use the identification key

Everything side by side

Hides rows where the species agree, rows missing an answer for some species, and rows nobody has recorded.

14 rows differ. 5 rows are the same. 15 rows are not recorded for every species.

Feature
Folsomia candida
Coecobrya tenebricosa
Sinella curviseta

Who they are

GroupDiffers
Entomobryomorpha
Family Isotomidae
Entomobryomorpha
Family Entomobryidae
Entomobryomorpha
Family Entomobryidae
Adult lengthDiffers
1.2–1.8 mm
Adult. Typical 1.5 mm.
Peer-reviewed1–4
1.5–3 mm
Adult.
Anecdotal5, 6
1.4 mm on average
Adult.
Peer-reviewed5, 7
Names you may meetDiffers
How sure the name isDiffers
Strongly supported
Under active research
Strongly supported
Stable
Unresolved
Classifications conflict

What they look like

Body formWhole animalNaked eyeDiffers
Slim tube
Peer-reviewedUncheckedFrom Isotomidae8
Long and slim / Slim tube
Varies
Peer-reviewedUncheckedFrom Entomobryomorpha8
Long and slim / Slim tube
Varies
Peer-reviewedUncheckedFrom Entomobryomorpha8
Main colourColourNaked eyeDiffers
White or cream
Peer-reviewedUnchecked4, 9
White or cream / Pink
Varies
Anecdotal10
Not recorded
Colour patternColourNaked eyeNot all recorded
Even colour
Peer-reviewedUnchecked4, 9
Even colour
Anecdotal10
Not recorded
Surface textureSurfaceHand loupeNot all recorded
Smooth
Peer-reviewedUnchecked9
Not recorded
Not recorded
ScalesSurfaceHand loupeNot all recorded
No scales
Peer-reviewedUncheckedFrom Isotomidae8
No scales
Peer-reviewedUnchecked8
Not recorded
Antenna lengthHeadPhone macroNot all recorded
Shorter than half the body
Peer-reviewedUnchecked9
Not recorded
Not recorded
Antenna segmentsHeadStereo microscopeSame
Four plain segments / Divided into rings
Varies
Expert sourceFrom Collembola11
Four plain segments / Divided into rings
Varies
Expert sourceFrom Collembola11
Four plain segments / Divided into rings
Varies
Expert sourceFrom Collembola11
EyesHeadPhone macroNot all recorded
No eyes
Peer-reviewedUnchecked4, 9
Not recorded
Not recorded
Mouth shapeHeadHand loupeSame
Blunt mouth
Peer-reviewedUncheckedFrom Entomobryomorpha8
Blunt mouth
Peer-reviewedUncheckedFrom Entomobryomorpha8
Blunt mouth
Peer-reviewedUncheckedFrom Entomobryomorpha8
Spines on the tail endBodyStereo microscopeSame
No spines
Peer-reviewedUncheckedFrom Entomobryomorpha8
No spines
Peer-reviewedUncheckedFrom Entomobryomorpha8
No spines
Peer-reviewedUncheckedFrom Entomobryomorpha8
Jumping organFurcaHand loupeNot all recorded
Long
Peer-reviewed1
Not recorded
Not recorded

Keeping them

DifficultySame
Easy
Hobby consensus4, 12, 13
Easy
Anecdotal12
Easy
Anecdotal12
GrowthDiffers
Fast
Adult in about 16–25 days at 21 °C70 °F.
Peer-reviewed1, 14, 15
Very fast
Anecdotal12
Fast
Anecdotal12
YieldDiffers
High
Hobby consensus4, 12, 13, 16–18
Very high
Anecdotal12
High
Anecdotal12
TemperatureNot all recorded
15–22 °C59–72 °F
Tolerates 15–27 °C59–81 °F.
Hobby consensus4, 13, 14, 16, 17
Not recorded
Not recorded
Substrate wetnessA model scale from 0 to 1, not a measurement.Not all recorded
0.6–0.9
Tolerates 0.4–0.95.
Hobby consensus4, 16
Not recorded
Not recorded
AirflowSame
Low
Hobby consensus4, 12, 13
Low
Anecdotal12
Low
Anecdotal12
FoodsDiffers
  • Dry yeast Staple
  • Commercial springtail mix Good
  • Mushroom Occasional
  • Fish flakes Occasional
Anecdotal4, 12, 13, 16–18
  • Dry yeast Staple
  • Commercial springtail mix Good
Anecdotal12
  • Commercial springtail mix Good
  • Dry yeast Good
  • Fish flakes Occasional
Anecdotal12
SubstratesDiffers
  • Charcoal and plaster Excellent
  • Calcium clay Excellent
  • Plain plaster Good
  • Coco coir Good
  • Peat-based soil Good
Hobby consensus4, 13, 16–18
  • Peat-based soil Excellent
  • Calcium clay Good
  • Plain plaster Good
  • Charcoal and plaster Good
Anecdotal12
  • Peat-based soil Excellent
  • Calcium clay Good
  • Plain plaster Good
Anecdotal12
In tradeDiffers
Common in trade
As of Oct 22, 2026.
Hobby consensusUnchecked4, 12, 16
Common in trade
As of Oct 22, 2026.
Hobby consensus12, 19
Regularly available
As of Oct 22, 2026.
Anecdotal12

Life cycle

ReproductionNot all recorded
Females alone (parthenogenetic)
Peer-reviewed1, 14, 15
Not recorded
Not recorded
Adult inNot all recorded
16–25 days
At 21 °C70 °F.
Peer-reviewed1, 14, 15
Not recorded
Not recorded
LifespanNot all recorded
6–198 days
At 21 °C70 °F.
Peer-reviewed1, 14, 15
Not recorded
Not recorded

In a bioactive enclosure

Where it livesNot all recorded
Soil
Hobby consensusUnchecked4, 16, 17, 20
Soil
Hobby consensus19, 21
Not recorded
Surface activityDiffers
Medium
Anecdotal22
High
Anecdotal22
Medium
Anecdotal23
Escape behaviourNot all recorded
Jumps readily
Anecdotal22
Jumps readily
Anecdotal22
Not recorded
In an enclosureNot all recorded
Establishes readily
Hobby consensusUnchecked4, 16, 17, 20
Establishes readily
Hobby consensus19, 21
Not recorded
Used asDiffers
Clean-up crew, Feeder culture, and Research model
Hobby consensusUnchecked4, 16, 17, 20
Clean-up crew and Feeder culture
Hobby consensus19, 21
Clean-up crew
Anecdotal23

Where they live

DistributionNot all recorded
Origin unclear
Worldwide
Peer-reviewed1
Origin unclear
Worldwide
Peer-reviewed19
Not recorded
Found inDiffers
A bought culture, An enclosure, A cave, A garden, and Inside a house
Peer-reviewed1
A bought culture and An enclosure
Peer-reviewed19
Not recorded
5 rows have nothing to compare.

Nobody has recorded these for any of the species, or the feature does not exist on them. Blank does not mean alike.

  • Eye count
  • Air humidity
  • Moisture gradient
  • Eggs hatch in
  • Eggs per batch

Sources on this page

  1. 1

    Intraspecific Phenotypic Variation and Morphological Divergence of Strains of Folsomia candida (Willem) (Collembola: Isotomidae), the "Standard" Test Springtail

    Tully T, Potapov M. 2015. PLOS ONE 10(9): e0136047

    Verified against a registry · Peer-reviewed paper

    Cited at Material and methods, lineages examined; Discussion, taxonomical status of strains; Introduction.

  2. 2

    Biological test method for measuring survival of springtails exposed to contaminants in soil: chapter 1

    Environment and Climate Change Canada

    Link works · Official standard

    Cited at Section 1.2.1, Folsomia candida.

  3. 3

    Collembola of Britain and Ireland: species pages and distribution maps

    Hopkin SP. Copy kept at collembole.free.fr

    Link works · Expert observation

    Cited at Folsomia candida page.

  4. 4

    Temperate Springtails Care Guide (Folsomia candida)

    PostPods

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at Folsomia candida introduction; introduction; moisture; container; Folsomia candida care summary; feeding; substrate; role in a setup.

  5. 5

    Springtails US shop: one product page for each springtail

    Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at Coecobrya tenebricosa product page, adult size; Sinella curviseta product page, adult size.

  6. 6

    Springtail Care Sheets: Species and Cultures

    VivKeeper

    Link works · Hobby observation

    Cited at Species comparison table, adult size.

  7. 7

    The springtail Sinella curviseta: the most suitable prey for rearing dwarf spiders

    Vanacker D, Deroose K, Van Nieuwenhuyse L, Vandomme V, Vanden Borre J, Maelfait J-P. 2005. Arthropoda Selecta, Special Issue 1 (European Arachnology 2003): 333-342

    Link works · Peer-reviewed paper

    Cited at Introduction, first paragraph.

  8. 8

    Biology of the Springtails (Insecta: Collembola)

    Hopkin SP. 1997. Oxford University Press

    Verified against a registry · Specialist monograph

    Cited at chapter on external morphology.

  9. 9

    Folsomia candida (Collembola): a "standard" soil arthropod

    Fountain MT, Hopkin SP. 2005. Annual Review of Entomology 50(1): 201-222

    Verified against a registry · Peer-reviewed review

    Cited at morphology section.

  10. 10

    Springtail Identification and Common Name Resource

    Pavy R. Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at Tropical Pink/White springtails.

  11. 11

    Checklist of the Collembola of the World

    Bellinger PF, Christiansen KA, Janssens F

    Link works · Authoritative database

    Cited at Introduction, external anatomy and morphology.

  12. 12

    Springtail Care Sheet

    Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at Folsomia candida entry; Coecobrya tenebricosa entry; Sinella curviseta entry; ventilation; diet.

  13. 13

    How To: Starting a White Springtail Feeder Culture on Clay

    MI Beneficials

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at introduction; air exchange; environment; food; setup.

  14. 14

    The Life History of Folsomia Candida (Willem) (Collembola: Isotomidae) Relative to Temperature

    Snider RM, Butcher JW. 1973. The Great Lakes Entomologist 6(4)

    Verified against a registry · Peer-reviewed paper

    Cited at Table 1, Table 5 and Egg production; Table 1, Table 5, Longevity and mortality; Table 5.

  15. 15

    High-quality genomes reveal significant genetic divergence and cryptic speciation in the model organism Folsomia candida (Collembola)

    Luan Y, Cui Y, Chen W, Jin J, Liu A, Huang C, Potapov M, Bu Y, Zhan S, Zhang F, Li S. 2023. Molecular Ecology Resources 23(1): 273-293

    Verified against a registry · Peer-reviewed paper

    Cited at Introduction.

  16. 16

    Springtail Care & Breeding Information

    New England Herpetoculture

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at moisture; temperature; feeding; breeder culture; introduction; uses.

  17. 17

    Biological test method for measuring survival of springtails exposed to contaminants in soil

    Environment and Climate Change Canada

    Link works · Official standard

    Cited at Chapter 2, food and feeding; Chapter 2, culturing, loading density; Chapter 2, culturing, temperature; Chapter 2, culturing substrate; Chapter 2, test organisms.

  18. 18

    Calcium Clay Springtail Cultures FAQ and Care

    Frog and Frond

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at feeding; clay cultures.

  19. 19

    Undesirable immigrants: hobbyist vivaria as a potential source of alien invertebrate species

    Jaskuła R, Sulikowska-Drozd A, Jabłońska A, Banaś K, Rewicz T. 2019. PeerJ 7: e7617

    Verified against a registry · Peer-reviewed paper

    Cited at Results, recorded taxa.

  20. 20

    FAQ

    Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at bioactive.

  21. 21

    Springtails for Isopods

    Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at species picks.

  22. 22

    Springtail keeper table

    2026. Private notes of a hobbyist keeper

    Checked by hand · Hobby observation

    Cited at row 17, Folsomia candida; row 18, Tropical; row 19, Coecobrya sp. "Tropical Pink".

  23. 23

    Springtail hobbyist catalogue

    2026. Private notes of a hobbyist keeper

    Checked by hand · Hobby observation

    Cited at row 33, Sinella curviseta.

How evidence works

How to read this page

  • A blank means nobody has recorded the answer. It does not mean the animals are alike.
  • The label on each answer is the weakest evidence behind it. The numbers link to the sources below.
  • A body feature marked with a group name was recorded for that whole group and is assumed here. Nobody has checked it on this species.
  • The drawings share one scale. They come from recorded lengths and sourced proportions. They are drawings, not photographs.
  • A name with cf. or aff. is a working identification. It is not a confirmed species.

How the site decides what to say