The Biology of the Collembola (Springtails)
By Steve Hopkin
A springtail, Isotoma viridis, from the Museum's collections
The Collembola, or springtails, are amongst the smallest but most successful animals. These tiny creatures are the most abundant insects in the world, found in vast numbers in almost all habitats from the seashore to the tops of mountains. Steve Hopkin, senior lecturer in Zoology at the University of Reading, takes us on a tour of the miniature world of the Collembola.
The Biology of the Collembola (Springtails) PDF (108.5 KB)
The Museum's smallest members of staff are our flesh-eating beetles, Dermestes maculates, who strip carcasses to the bone.