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Entomobryomorpha · Entomobryidae

Entomobrya multifasciata

A yellow springtail with five dark bands across its back.A yellow springtail with five dark crossbands on the back, sold in the hobby as the Tiger or Little Tiger Springtail. Peer-reviewed 1, 2

Also sold or known as

This page is partly filled in

Some sections have little or no evidence yet. Each gap says so rather than guessing.

Side view drawing of Entomobrya multifasciata, drawn from sourced body proportions. It is a drawing, not a photograph.
Drawing

No size is recorded for this species yet, so true size is not available.

At a glance

Difficulty
Hard Anecdotal 2
Growth
Slow Anecdotal 2
Best enclosures
Arid terrarium, Semi-arid terrarium A model estimate from the ranges on this page. See every enclosure type
In trade
Regularly available As of Oct 22, 2026. Anecdotal 2
Identification
Strongly supported Stable How sure we are

Not recorded yet: Size, Temperature, Air humidity.

Identification

Yellow, with five dark bands across the back and dark antenna tips.The background is yellow. Black, dark brown or purple pigment forms five crossbands along the hind edges of the second and third thoracic segments and the first three abdominal segments. The fourth abdominal segment varies, with two triangular patches or a W-shaped mark, and the last two segments are mostly dark. The antennae are light brown or purple and darker toward the tip. Peer-reviewed 1
The body is oval and cylindrical. Peer-reviewed 1
Warning It looks almost the same as the female of another species, Entomobrya atrocincta. Only a microscope can tell them apart.The colour pattern and setae of this species are almost the same as those of the female of Entomobrya atrocincta. Variation in the setae of E. atrocincta hides most of the differences, so the two are separated with a table of setae characters under a microscope. Peer-reviewed 1

Characters to check

These are the features recorded for this species. Each row says what kit you need to read it.

Character What it looks like Needs
Body form Slim tube The body is a smooth tube with segments you can see, and shorter antennae and legs. 1 Naked eye
Main colour Yellow Clearly yellow and not just cream. 1 Naked eye
Colour pattern Crossbands Dark or pale bands run across the body from side to side. 1 Naked eye
Scales No scales The body has no scales, only skin and bristles. Inherited: Entomobrya 1 Hand loupe
Antenna segments Four plain segments The antenna has four clear segments and none is divided into rings. Inherited: Entomobrya 1 Stereo microscope
Eyes Eyes present Dark eye patches sit on both sides of the head. Inherited: Entomobrya 1 Phone macro
Eye count Eight Eight dots in each eye patch, the most a springtail can have. Inherited: Entomobrya 1 Stereo microscope
Mouth shape Blunt mouth The mouth is blunt and the head is rounded in front. Inherited: Entomobryomorpha 3 Hand loupe
Spines on the tail end No spines The last abdominal segment has no spines. Inherited: Entomobryomorpha 3 Stereo microscope
Jumping organ Long A long furca reaches forward under the body, and the animal springs when disturbed. Inherited: Entomobrya 1 Hand loupe
3 characters have no record yet

Nobody has recorded these for this species, so the key treats them as unknown and never guesses.

  • Body length
  • Surface texture
  • Antenna length

Identify an animal you have

Answer in any order, with the kit you have.

Husbandry and breeding

  • Difficulty Hard
  • Growth Slow
  • Yield Low
Airflow
High Anecdotal 2
Moisture gradient
Keep about 75% of the substrate dry. Anecdotal 2

Foods

  • Commercial springtail mix Good 2
  • Dry yeast Good 2
  • Fish flakes Occasional 2
  • Pollen granules Good 2

Substrates

  • Peat-based soil Good 2

The evidence in detail

Springtails US rates it Intermediate plus level. Anecdotal 2
Model assumption Springtails US scores its reproduction rate 4 out of 10. The site reads that as slow growth and a low yield. Anecdotal 2
Springtails US cultures it on soil. It advises a moisture gradient with about 75% of the substrate dry, plus a large amount of ventilation on the dry side. Anecdotal 2
Feed once or twice a week with a springtail food mix, brewer's yeast, another yeast or fish food. It is a pollinator in nature and benefits greatly from bee pollen once a week. Anecdotal 2

Tools

Print a care card

Key numbers and a QR code back to this page.

Bioactive compatibility

Fit by enclosure type

A model estimate from the climate each enclosure type holds and the ranges recorded for this species. It is not a measurement.

Enclosure type Fit Why
Arid terrarium A dry, well ventilated desert terrarium with a hot basking spot, kept for bearded dragons and similar animals. See where it ranks Good fit
  • Sellers culture it with 75% of the substrate dry, which suits a substrate that stays dry.
  • Airflow is high, which is what this species is kept with.
Semi-arid terrarium A mostly dry terrarium with a damp hide and a warm spot, kept for leopard geckos and similar grassland or scrub animals. See where it ranks Good fit
  • Sellers culture it with 75% of the substrate dry, which suits a substrate that stays mostly dry.
  • Airflow is medium. This species is usually kept with high airflow.
Potted plant A houseplant pot with an open top, watered on a schedule so the soil dries a little between waterings. See where it ranks Marginal fit
  • Sellers culture it with 75% of the substrate dry. A substrate that stays damp is only a partial match.
  • Airflow is high, which is what this species is kept with.
Open tropical terrarium A tall terrarium with mesh ventilation and daily misting that dries out between sprays, kept for crested geckos and similar climbers. See where it ranks Marginal fit
  • Sellers culture it with 75% of the substrate dry. A substrate that stays damp is only a partial match.
  • Airflow is medium. This species is usually kept with high airflow.
Isopod tub A ventilated tub of organic substrate and leaf litter with a damp end and a dry end, kept for isopod colonies. See where it ranks Marginal fit
  • Sellers culture it with 75% of the substrate dry. A substrate that stays damp is only a partial match.
  • Airflow is medium. This species is usually kept with high airflow.
Temperate woodland vivarium A cool, damp vivarium with leaf litter, bark and a moisture gradient, kept for fire salamanders and similar woodland amphibians. See where it ranks Marginal fit
  • Sellers culture it with 75% of the substrate dry, so a substrate that stays wet is a poor match.
  • Airflow is medium. This species is usually kept with high airflow.
Closed tropical terrarium A glass terrarium with a lid and little ventilation, misted often, kept for dart frogs and other animals from humid forest. See where it ranks Marginal fit
  • Sellers culture it with 75% of the substrate dry, so a substrate that stays wet is a poor match.
  • Airflow is low. This species is usually kept with high airflow, which is a big difference.

Animals that eat springtails mean the springtails need topping up. The explorer shows which species keep up with the animals in your enclosure. Open the compatibility explorer

Natural history and distribution

Regions
Europe Peer-reviewed 1
Found in
A bought culture, An enclosure Peer-reviewed 1
In trade
Regularly available in North America. As of Oct 22, 2026. Anecdotal 2
Older works list it from North America, Hawaii, Europe and Russia. The 2015 revision treats the North American and Hawaiian records as questionable, because the female form of Entomobrya atrocincta looks the same. The redescription used animals from the Azores and Madeira. Peer-reviewed 1
Springtails US listed it as in stock on 22 October 2026. Anecdotal 2

Taxonomy and naming history

Warning A culture sold as a Tiger Springtail may be a different species. Nobody has published a check.A North American culture sold as a Tiger Springtail has to be checked against both Entomobrya multifasciata and the female form of Entomobrya atrocincta. No published check of a hobby culture was found. Peer-reviewed 1
Springtails US lists it as the Little Tiger Springtail and says it has not been sold under another name. Anecdotal 4

How sure the name is

Name type
Exact name The name has been matched against the published description.
Confidence
Strongly supported Several lines of evidence agree.
Evidence for the name
Body form and DNA
Stability
Stable Sources agree and the name has not moved in years.
Review
Reviewed by a curator

GBIF lists Entomobrya multifasciata (Tullberg, 1871). Checked Oct 22, 2026.

Classification

Trade and hobby names

Trade names are not taxonomy. Each one is a label that sellers use, with its own page.

Name Kind How likely
Dimorphic Springtail Trade name Possible
Little Tiger Springtail Trade name Likely
Little Tiger Trade name Probable

Open questions and sources

Open questions

  • Are hobby Tiger springtails *Entomobrya multifasciata* or the female form of *Entomobrya atrocincta*?

    Identification Needs a specialist

    Why it matters. The 2015 revision found that the colour pattern and setae of these two overlap, and it treats North American records of Entomobrya multifasciata as questionable. A hobby culture sold under the Tiger name has not been published as checked.

    What would help. Slide-mounted adults of both sexes, scored against the character table in the revision, with a COI barcode where possible.

    Katz and colleagues 2015 revision of Entomobrya

  • Which species is this culture, checked by a specialist?

    Identification Needs a voucher specimen

    Why it matters. Hobby cultures are mostly named from a seller's label or a photograph. A wrong name spreads from seller to keeper and then into care advice.

    What would help. Preserved vouchers from the culture in 80 to 95 percent ethanol, mounted specimens examined by a springtail specialist, and a DNA barcode where a reference exists. Deposit the voucher with a museum or a university collection.

Sources

  1. 1

    Taxonomic review and phylogenetic analysis of fifteen North American Entomobrya (Collembola, Entomobryidae), including four new species

    Katz AD, Giordano R, Soto-Adames F. 2015. ZooKeys 525: 1-75

    Verified against a registry · Peer-reviewed paper

    Cited at E. multifasciata description; E. multifasciata remarks; E. atrocincta remarks and Table 3; Results, genus diagnosis; E. multifasciata distribution and material examined; E. multifasciata distribution.

  2. 2

    Springtail Care Sheet

    Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at Entomobrya multifasciata entry.

  3. 3

    Biology of the Springtails (Insecta: Collembola)

    Hopkin SP. 1997. Oxford University Press

    Verified against a registry · Specialist monograph

    Cited at chapter on external morphology.

  4. 4

    Springtail Identification and Common Name Resource

    Pavy R. Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at species list.

Spotted a mistake or know a better source?

Page data reviewed Oct 22, 2026