A Closer Look at One of the Tiniest Animals of the Credit River Watershed
Wetlands, forests and streams in the Credit River Watershed are home to wildlife of all sizes, including species so small they are almost unnoticeable.
Springtails, an example of an animal that are easy to overlook, are tiny, jumping microarthropods. They can be found in forest soils and wetlands, on tree bark and even on the surface of streams. Although they often go unnoticed, these small animals play an important role in keeping ecosystems healthy.
What is a Springtail?
Despite their name and insect-like appearance, springtails are not actually insects. They belong to their own class called Collembola. While they share some similarities with insects, including six legs and segmented antennae, they also have important differences in their body structure.
Their common name comes from a forked appendage tucked beneath their bodies that helps them “spring” into the air when disturbed. Their scientific name, Collembola, means “glue peg,” referring to a small structure called a collophore that helps them stick to surfaces and retain moisture.
Most springtails are tiny, usually only one to five millimetres long, which makes them difficult to notice. Many live hidden in soil or leaf litter, though others can be found in tree canopies, caves, deserts and even on the surface of water.
Tiny Creatures With a Big Role
Springtails are found on every continent, including Antarctica, and there are hundreds of species in Canada alone.
Although small, they help support healthy soils and functioning ecosystems. Many springtails feed on decaying plant material, algae and bacteria, helping break down organic matter and recycle nutrients back into the environment. Healthy soil can contain more than 100,000 springtails in a single cubic metre.
Because springtails are sensitive to pollution and environmental disturbance, scientists sometimes use them as indicator species to better understand soil health.
Healthy soils and functioning stream ecosystems are essential to the long-term health of the Credit River Watershed. From forests and wetlands to streams and urban greenspaces, even the smallest organisms contribute to the resilience of local ecosystems.
There’s More to Learn About Springtails
There is still so much we do not know about springtails. Their small size and hidden lifestyles mean many species remain poorly studied.
However, what researchers have discovered up to this point is fascinating. Some springtails perform courtship rituals involving dancing and even head-butting displays on leaves. Others glide across water surfaces or gather in enormous floating clusters that can look like drifting specks of debris.
These tiny animals are a reminder that entire worlds exist beneath our feet and all around us, often unnoticed.
Watch for Springtails as you Explore our Trails
This spring, take a closer look while exploring local trails, forests and streams. You may spot springtails gathered on mushrooms, floating on water or moving through damp soil and leaf litter.
The more we notice and learn about the small species that support local ecosystems, the better we can understand and protect the natural systems that keep the Credit River Watershed healthy. Tiny animals like springtails help break down organic matter, recycle nutrients and support healthy soils that forests, wetlands and streams depend on. Even the smallest creatures play a role in building resilient ecosystems across the watershed.
Plan a day at our parks and try to spot one of these tiny animals.
If you spot springtails or other interesting species in the watershed, share your observations on iNaturalist Canada to help contribute to community science and biodiversity monitoring.
Share your observations with us on Facebook, Instagram and X.
By Laura Timms, Program Manager, Natural Heritage Management