Springtail Wiki

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Trade name

Common White Springtail

Common name North AmericaEurope

Also written as: Temperate White Springtail, Temperate Springtail, Common White Springtails, Comon White Springtail

Sold as Common White Springtail. The most likely species is Folsomia candida.

I bought this Open the key with this name selected. It starts from the species behind the name and asks what you can see.

What you probably have

These are the species the name may stand for. The order and the words show how sure we are.

  • Likely

    Folsomia candida

    Sold as the hobby culture Common White

    The seller lists Folsomia candida as the Temperate or Common White Springtail and says both common names are valid. Anecdotal 1

Where the name comes from

The species has also been sold as Collembola sp. and, wrongly, as Tropical White. It is rarely sold with a locality, except for traced and pure lineages. Anecdotal 1

If you sell or buy under this name

Tip Keep the common name and the collection locality attached to every culture. One common name can cover stock from different localities and sometimes different species. Anecdotal 1, 2

What would settle it

  • Which genetic lineage are hobby Common White cultures?

    Molecular Open

    Why it matters. Folsomia candida is at least two lineages that look alike and live differently. Care advice and published life-history numbers may fit one lineage and not another.

    What would help. COI barcodes from several hobby and retail cultures, compared with the laboratory lineages described in the 2015 strain study and the 2023 genome study.

    Tully and Potapov 2015 on Folsomia candida strains

  • Is a culture sold as Tropical White a *Coecobrya* or a *Folsomia*?

    Trade names Needs a voucher specimen

    Why it matters. The name Tropical White is used for the pale form of Coecobrya tenebricosa and has also been used for Folsomia candida. The two want different care.

    What would help. A voucher from each culture checked under a microscope, and a note of the seller and the date of purchase.

Sources

  1. 1

    Springtail Identification and Common Name Resource

    Pavy R. Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at hobby name list, Folsomia candida Temperate / Common White Springtail; hobby name list, Poduromorpha sp "Tiny Blue Springtail".

  2. 2

    Major Springtail Hobby Identification Updates (2026)

    Pavy R. 2026. Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at Hypogastruridae sp. Tiny Blue Springtail to Xenylla grisea.