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Entomobryomorpha · Entomobryidae

Entomobrya unostrigata

A pale springtail with one thin dark stripe down its back. It climbs well.A pale springtail with one thin dark stripe along the back, an introduced species now widespread in North America and sold as the Cotton 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 unostrigata, 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
Moderate Anecdotal 2
Growth
Very fast 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

White, pale green or yellow with a thin purple or black stripe down the middle of the back.The background is white, pale green or yellow. Purple or black pigment forms a thin stripe down the middle of the back from the second thoracic to the fifth abdominal segment, thicker over the third thoracic to third abdominal segments, with a line of patches along each side and scattered spots. The last two abdominal segments usually have no dark pigment. The legs and furca are white or light purple, and the antennae carry light purple pigment. Peer-reviewed 1
The body is relatively robust and cylindrical. Peer-reviewed 1
The two hindmost eyes in each patch, G and H, are enlarged and about as big as the others. This is unusual among North American Entomobrya, where G and H are small. Peer-reviewed 1
The fourth abdominal segment usually carries one or two conspicuous rows of large setae on its front half. Many Palearctic Entomobrya and the genus Homidia share this pattern, but other North American Entomobrya do not.Abd. IV usually carries one or two conspicuous rows of macrosetae on its anterior half, a pattern shared with many Palearctic Entomobrya and with Homidia but not with the other Nearctic Entomobrya treated in the revision. 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 White or cream Pale with no strong tint. / Yellow Clearly yellow and not just cream. / Green or olive Green, olive or green grey. Varies 1 Naked eye
Colour pattern Lengthwise stripes Stripes run along the body from head to tail. 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 Moderate
  • Growth Very fast
  • Yield Very high
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

Substrates

  • Peat-based soil Good 2

The evidence in detail

Springtails US rates it Intermediate level. Anecdotal 2
Model assumption Springtails US scores its reproduction rate 9 out of 10. The site reads that as very fast growth and a very high 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. Anecdotal 2

Guides that cover it

Tools

Print a care card

Key numbers and a QR code back to this page.

Bioactive compatibility

Surface activity
High Anecdotal 4
Escape behaviour
Climbs glass Anecdotal 4
A seller photographed a mass of this species held back by a climbing barrier, which shows that it climbs smooth walls. Anecdotal 4

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

Status
Introduced Peer-reviewed 1
Regions
North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania Peer-reviewed 1
Found in
A bought culture, An enclosure, A garden Peer-reviewed 1
In trade
Regularly available in North America. As of Oct 22, 2026. Anecdotal 2
It is a recently introduced species with a wide distribution in North America. It also occurs in the Palearctic and in Australia. Many North American records may be misidentifications of similar species. Peer-reviewed 1
Springtails US listed it as in stock on 22 October 2026. Anecdotal 2

Taxonomy and naming history

Springtails US lists it as the Cotton Springtail and says it has also been sold as the Arid Cotton Springtail. Anecdotal 5

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 unostrigata J.Stach, 1930. 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
Cotton Springtail Trade name Likely
Cotton Trade name Probable

Open questions and sources

Open questions

  • 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. unostrigata description and distribution; E. unostrigata description; E. unostrigata description and remarks; E. unostrigata remarks; Results, genus diagnosis; E. unostrigata distribution and remarks.

  2. 2

    Springtail Care Sheet

    Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at Entomobrya unostrigata 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

    How to Make a Springtail Climbing Barrier

    Pavy R. 2025. Springtails US

    Link works · Retailer

    Cited at photo captions.

  5. 5

    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