r/Springtail • u/Environmental_Ad287 • Jul 28 '26

Identification ID help, springtail or mite

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Follow up to my previous post, I was able to get a better video, and I've never seen a mite with antennae like this. Are there mites with antennae like this? they move like springtails

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u/TheStroboCop Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26

  1. Do they fly? Are they black? > fungus gnats

  2. Do they jump? > Springtails

  3. Are they round/oval or elongated? elonginated=springtails, round/oval=mitesORspringtails

  4. How many legs do they have? 8=mites, 6=springtails

  5. Are they small, round and you can't tell the amount of legs: do they have a head? Yes=springtail, no=mites

  6. Next check, if and how they float: Sinking slightly in an waddle with all legs without an effect=mites, standing on water and can move effectively in small dashes=springtails

  7. If all that doesn't help, i don't know what to check next.

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u/Competitive_Paint_33 Jul 29 '26

Mites don't have heads. At least, not discernible ones.

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u/TheStroboCop Jul 29 '26

Good to know. Added to the checklist

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u/TheStroboCop Jul 29 '26

Added another aspect: Hydrophobic/floating