Globular springtail <1mm in size.

[Paul Iddon]

OK, take a look at your keyboard - the one on your desk...

See the "del" key on the numeric pad, and on that key is the dot or full stop?

Got that in your mind?

OK.

This globular springtail is smaller than that dot. These 2 were taken on the LAOWA 60mm 2:1 lens at close to full magnification, and then the images were cropped in post processing. The first one is not bang on the money, but close enough considering the size of the insect and given that it's after 11pm at night and very dark and it's always moving! The 2nd one is better, as it changed direction and is coming towards the camera and I just about got the eyes in focus.

I'm fairly sure this is Bourletiellidae sp. - a common springtail that can grow quite a bit bigger (maybe 5mm in size) so this suggests that mine here is very young.

Paul.

 

[Rob2563]

You must have eyes of an hawk and patience of a saint to look for them, did they glow in the dark , I would have been on the look out for an hedgehog not something smalller than a .

 

[Paul Iddon]

You must have eyes of an hawk and patience of a saint to look for them, did they glow in the dark , I would have been on the look out for an hedgehog not something smalller than a .

Research suggests there can be 100,000 in a square metre of soil. I'm lucky to find one, but when I do, that's when the chase begins

Paul.

 

[JayAy]

Big game hunting

 

[Tim Mayo]

Awesome shots Paul! Thanks for the education too. I never knew they existed!

 

[Paul Iddon]

Awesome shots Paul! Thanks for the education too. I never knew they existed!

Cheers Timothy

Turns out my original ID may have been wrong - one of my expert contacts is saying this is actually Sminthurinus c.f. aureus....

Paul.

 

[Hali]

Wow, that's really incredible. Beautiful shots, I too am amazed that you found them, at night and that tiny!!

 

[Paul Iddon]

Wow, that's really incredible. Beautiful shots, I too am amazed that you found them, at night and that tiny!!

Thanks Hali. They are so small, most wouldn't even spot anything unless deliberately trying to find them.

Paul.

 

[pcassel]

I doubt I could have seen it to even try for an image. I have excellent close vision too. Quite impressive.

 

[Paul Iddon]

I doubt I could have seen it to even try for an image. I have excellent close vision too. Quite impressive.

Thanks Paul - I admit, this was a very small one...

Paul.