Collembola
Springtails are wingless hexapods that most modern classifications place outside the true insects. Their name comes from the furcula, a forked appendage held under the abdomen and released to launch the animal away from danger. Most species live in soil or leaf litter, where they feed on fungi, bacteria, and decaying plant matter and play a major role in nutrient cycling. Even though springtails are tiny, often less than two millimeters long, they reach densities of tens of thousands per square meter in healthy soils.
Entomobryidae - Lepidocyrtus paradoxus
Pin #37 · Collembola · Entomobryidae - Lepidocyrtus paradoxus
NE: Lincoln · 22 Apr 2026 · 40.83, -96.66
Collector: A. Angel
Preservation: Preserve in 80–95% ethanol in a vial
Characters: Large 4th abdominal segment; long antennae and legs; furcula present (the springtail 'spring'); antennae broken short.
Notes: Point mounted for photography
Entomobryidae - Homidia socia
Pin #36 · Collembola · Entomobryidae - Homidia socia
NE: Lancaster Co. · 21 Apr 2026 · 40.98, -96.89
Collector: A. Angel
Preservation: Preserve in 80–95% ethanol in a vial — collembolans too small to pin.
Characters: Large 4th abdominal segment; long antennae and legs; furcula present (the springtail 'spring').
Notes: Point-mounted on paper triangle as an exception to the family-standard vial preservation for photography.