Springtails Do Their Own Stunts

Springtails Do Their Own Stunts | Deep Look

Рет қаралды 294,870

11 ай бұрын

Step right up to see tiny springtails spin through the air with the greatest of ease! In ponds and streams, they skyrocket out of the reach of hungry insects like water striders by slapping a tail-like appendage against the water. And you won’t believe how they stick the landing.
SUBSCRIBE to Deep Look! kzfaq.info...
Please join our community on Patreon! / deeplook
DEEP LOOK is an ultra-HD (4K) short video series created by KQED San Francisco and presented by PBS Digital Studios. See the unseen at the very edge of our visible world. Explore big scientific mysteries by going incredibly small.
Semiaquatic springtails are as tiny as a poppy seed, which makes them a tasty snack to insects such as water striders in streams and ponds.
But springtails have a secret superpower that allows them to evade their predators: the furcula. They use this tail-like appendage to jump off the water’s surface 150 times faster than the blink of an eye. Their explosive jumps can propel them as high as the equivalent of a six-story building for humans. So, once they’re up in the air, how do they land, ready to escape again?
Scientists at Georgia Tech filmed semiaquatic springtails they put in a wind tunnel. The high-speed footage showed that springtails right themselves in the air by curving their bodies into the shape of a U. They land upright with the help of a droplet of water they collect with a tube on their abdomen called a collophore.
“They don’t bounce away,” said Víctor Ortega-Jiménez, of the University of Maine, who carried out the research while at Georgia Tech. “The drop of water acts like a glue.”
--- Are springtails insects?
Even though, like insects, they have six legs, springtails aren’t considered insects because they keep their mouthparts tucked away, rather than exposed. Their furcula is another unique feature that sets them apart.
--- How small are springtails?
A springtail is 1 to 5 millimeters long, or one-sixteenth to one-fifth of an inch.
--- How many springtail species exist?
Scientists have identified more than 9,000 species of springtails, also known as collembolans.
---+ Find a transcript on KQED Science:
www.kqed.org/science/1983076/...
---+ More Great Deep Look episodes:
What Makes This Frog’s Tongue So Fast AND Sticky?
• What Makes This Frog's...
Earthworm Love is Cuddly … and Complicated
• Earthworm Love Is Cudd...
This Mushroom Can Fly
• This Mushroom Can Fly ...
---+ Shoutout!
🏆Congratulations🏆 to these fans on our Deep Look Community Tab for correctly answering our GIF challenge!
Renkuka Karki
Princess Pie Girl Rotation
[Formula Zero EX_]
---+ Thank you to our Top Patreon Supporters ($10+ per month)!
Burt Humburg
Karen Reynolds
Companion Cube
Daisuke Goto
David Deshpande
Chris B Emrick
Tianxing Wang
Wade Tregaskis
Laurel Przybylski
Mark Jobes
Laurel Przybylski
Kevin Judge
Porkchop
Cindy McGill
Roberta K Wright
Titania Juang
El Samuels
Rory B.
Carrie Mukaida
KW
Jellyman
Jessica Hiraoka
Mehdi
Noreen Herrington
SueEllen McCann
Louis O'Neill
Nicolette Ray
monoirre
Jeremiah Sullivan
Levi Cai
TierZoo
Elizabeth Ann Ditz
Syniurge
---+ Follow Deep Look and KQED Science on social:
/ deeplookofficial
/ deeplook
Instagram: / kqedscience
Twitter: / kqedscience
---+ About KQED
KQED, an NPR and PBS member station in San Francisco, serves Northern California and beyond with a public-supported alternative to commercial TV, radio and web media.
Funding for Deep Look is provided in part by PBS Digital Studios and the members of KQED.
#springtail #deeplook

Пікірлер: 417

@peytonvogler1087 11 ай бұрын

My favorite hexapods!! They’re incredibly underrated in the field entomology, to the extent that none of my professors know an entomologist who studies them. They’re known to be the most abundant animal on the planet, yet still so under appreciated. I love them!

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Peyton thanks for pointing that out! We need more people studying them.

@felixflax19 11 ай бұрын

I edit Wikipedia pages about them sometimes but yeah finding studies about them is difficult

@rustyshackleford9888 11 ай бұрын

I was always taught nematodes were the most abundant animal.

@ryanwaege7251 11 ай бұрын

Hexapods are the bestapods! Jokes aside, I really appreciate the lively narration.

@lumina_ 11 ай бұрын

I thought ants were

@adpirtle 11 ай бұрын

I used to have an enclosure including springtails. They weren't the main attraction but we're still fun to watch on the rare occasion that I caught sight of them.

@FlintSparkedStudios 11 ай бұрын

They’re the ultimate clean up crew

@soogymoogi 11 ай бұрын

My white temperate ones are everywhere in my vinegaroon's enclosure. They do such a good job! Love seeing them crawling around.

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

We did an episode on Vinegaroons ICYMI: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/o8qom8J-l9jNo6s.html

@soogymoogi 11 ай бұрын

@@KQEDDeepLook so cool to see the close up video! My vinegaroon Vinnie actually runs after and chases the crickets in its enclosure while the one you had lunges more like a tarantula. Neat!

@silviavalentine3812 11 ай бұрын

@@soogymoogi ooooo that's soo cool!

@zachb8012 11 ай бұрын

That was a great episode. Peak Deep Look. The camera work is incredible and I've never been more fascinated with how complicated all the tiny things can be. My favorite thing about nature is how you can crouch in any bush, turn over any rock, stare into any tide pool and if you look close enough you'll eventually find something amazing.

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Much appreciated!

@islamisthetruewaytogod6812 6 ай бұрын

God said : Say, “We believe in Allah, and in what was revealed to us, and in what was revealed to Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Patriarchs, and in what was given to Moses and Jesus, and in what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We do not differentiate between any of them. And to Him, we surrender.” (2:136 / Translated by Community)

@panicclinic 11 ай бұрын

They're absolutely precious and adorable little buggers. The way they launch themselves into the air is entertaining.

@islamisthetruewaytogod6812 6 ай бұрын

@jacobv3396 11 ай бұрын

Now those little buggers are fun to watch. Pretty amazing how quick they are.

@islamisthetruewaytogod6812 6 ай бұрын

@JetFalcon710 21 күн бұрын

@@islamisthetruewaytogod6812Now, I've seen a lot of Christians in KZfaq comment sections trying to get people to repent to Jesus, but this is the first time I've seen an Islamic guy trying to get people to repent to Allah

@Silver-Arrow 11 ай бұрын

i wish to be the person that approves funding for projects like "we want to put a bunch of springtails in an wind tunnel"

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

FOR SCIENCE

@Alex-kf3rm 11 ай бұрын

When I was a kid I thought they had the power to teleport short distance.

@JetFalcon710 Ай бұрын

Yeah, it does kinda look like that, especially with the two springtails that disappear in one frame at 0:48

@junbug120 11 ай бұрын

They look so majestic

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

We agree, Kim.

@TragoudistrosMPH 11 ай бұрын

I didn't know water striders jumped! However the dropping physics were increasingly fascinating, both the acrobatic drop and the water 💧

@islamisthetruewaytogod6812 6 ай бұрын

@reionj8816 11 ай бұрын

Ahah they looked so funny spinning in the air. I didn't even know they existed. It's how a tiny drop of water can make a huge difference. Great video DeepLook😌❤💯

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Thanks Reion J! They are so much fun to see in slow-motion.

@reionj8816 11 ай бұрын

@@KQEDDeepLook I could not stop laughing hahaha. I am sure they had fun

@ProfessionalBugLover 11 ай бұрын

these little things are so cute and important

@IdentifiantE.S 11 ай бұрын

@Jisso_fantastic 11 ай бұрын

Ofc

@user-zy4wv7yx1z 11 ай бұрын

While moving, underneath one of my large plant saucers, I found a colony of springtails. So I used a small hand vacuum to collect them, then emptied the contents into a container I had prepared with activated chemical free charcoal. I now have a little home grown colony of springtails that I sprinkle into my house plants. They are great at eating mold/fungus. I loved seeing them up close in this video! I find them very endearing.

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Great tip!

@Jannellbathbabe 11 ай бұрын

Not a great idea to bring those inside the house. They increase in number rapidly and are pests that should not be inside the house.

@user-zy4wv7yx1z 11 ай бұрын

@@Jannellbathbabe Do you have a source for your claim? I have never seen any outside the plant containers. They need moisture to live, and cannot survive in carpet or on hard floor. They eat the fungus growing in my plants, and that lowers the spore count

@Jannellbathbabe 11 ай бұрын

@@user-zy4wv7yx1z my own personal experience lol can probably search online as well. Here where we’ve had an extremely unusual high amount of rain has caused them to swarm many properties. Once they get inside the house they migrate to bathrooms eventually because of the moisture. Even when I called pest control companies they stated that’s they’re most common concern from home owners in the area. I noticed them in my planters too so technician put chemicals in all my pots and thankfully they’re all gone

@hejgustavful 11 ай бұрын

How have I never heard of these wonderful little critters?

@Jannellbathbabe 11 ай бұрын

You don’t want to. They’re super annoying. I’m trying to get rid of them at my place now

@justacookie918 11 ай бұрын

@@Jannellbathbabethey tryna annoy you with their stunts

@kirkanos3968 9 ай бұрын

@@Jannellbathbabe white vinegar will help

@renatocann5142 11 ай бұрын

springtails in a wind tunnel make for a far more delightful visual than I could have ever imagined ✨

@--Paws-- 11 ай бұрын

Springtails have been doing the Water Bucket landing before Minecraft existed.

@BlackZero880 11 ай бұрын

That TING sound when they are jumping is awesome 😂

@bednap922 11 ай бұрын

I was literally just researching springtails for my terrarium when this video released

@Durio_zibethinus 11 ай бұрын

So, the droplets is just an equivalent of cat's tail? Interesting 😮

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

In some ways, yes!

@marthaperdew 11 ай бұрын

They are adorable!

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Absolutely Martha!

@deadlydingus1138 11 ай бұрын

Imagine being that springtail in the wind tunnel. It must be thinking something along the lines of “wait, why haven’t I landed yet?”

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Same here springtail, same.

@chickendrawsdogs3343 11 ай бұрын

Ah I remember seeing these guys while out looking for frogs and tadpoles as a kid. I'm always amazed how much life can there be in just a small puddle.

@PixelPotato 11 ай бұрын

Best. Thumbnail. Ever. Also these little creatures are so cute and amazing!! Those adorable antennas

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

You are so kind Heather!

@Leeyum96969 11 ай бұрын

Facts

@Brydav_Massbear 11 ай бұрын

They spring into the air, by using their tails. Accurate name.

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Yep. It's what it says on the tin.

@Machtyn 11 ай бұрын

Also, water tension is such an amazing property. It works on the tiniest drop!

@arjunaalter09 11 ай бұрын

This was a really good episode. The music made this really funny😂

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Seth Samuel composes our music!

@soogymoogi 11 ай бұрын

I've been culturing several species and colors of these little guys, hoping to sell them at local reptile expos, and to use in my own arachnid enclosures. So cute and fascinating. Am hoping to catch some local ones. Maybe discover a new species? There's not enough research on them. This video is so cute! I love the circus theme haha.

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Good luck!

@Jannellbathbabe 11 ай бұрын

We’re having a terrible infestation of them where I live here in Southern California. You’re more than welcome to come take all the ones the swarm my house! Lol

@soogymoogi 11 ай бұрын

@@Jannellbathbabe lol what color/size? You could legit mail then to me hahaha

@drvrushabh6063 11 ай бұрын

For them, each year is a leap year!!

@jadephoenix222 5 ай бұрын

ha ha good one!

@killapicklepiratepanda7373 11 ай бұрын

So springtails are the cat of the insect world

@VanellikaB 11 ай бұрын

What a little marvel of the world! I love learning about new creatures.

@zdenshadowdragonbyzideodi8819 11 ай бұрын

They should add Spring Tails to Sonic

@PushyPawn 11 ай бұрын

Laura's the best!

@finneganfox6470 11 ай бұрын

Springtails would make a great addition my flea circus 🎪!

@saiphrivas1437 11 ай бұрын

This has the same energy as that documentary where they put circus noises over touch-me-not pods

@anonymustly7818 11 ай бұрын

The narration on this one totally makes it. Hysterical!

@jayciii29 11 ай бұрын

Forget about Spider-Man, i wanna see the Springtail-Man lol

@cdtv3602 11 ай бұрын

1:05 *NOPE!* not today, kid! 😹

@cryptbeast3222 11 ай бұрын

I swear it just feels like scientists come up with random reasons to put animals in wind tunnels.

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

MOAR animals in wind tunnels!

@Cleeon 11 ай бұрын

This, make me want to start keeping various springtail culture, I'll try it

@Rantsack 11 ай бұрын

THEY"RE SO CUTEEEE! 🥰

@aollol6679 11 ай бұрын

This had to be the funnest and funniest videos I’ve seen by y’all. Thanks for educating me! Keep up the good work

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Thank you! Will do!

@longnguyenson646 11 ай бұрын

Water has once again proved vital

@rridderbusch518 11 ай бұрын

Now I'm homesick for my little babbling brook :-(

@dragonluvver975 11 ай бұрын

I just washed a buncha these dudes down my sink and now I feel bad cause they look adorable

@xxxqwertxxx 10 ай бұрын

They’re so cute!!!

@jakemarcus9999 9 ай бұрын

The amount of adaptation that was needed to this is mindblowing

@tieuwest 10 ай бұрын

The cinematography in this video is so beautiful, especially with the part with blue background

@Mediocre_JT 11 ай бұрын

I always see these in home-made terrariums.

@mistressofdarkk 11 ай бұрын

I'd like to be a performer at springtail circus

@NewMessage 11 ай бұрын

Whattya know... we're not the only ones who flip for a new Deep Look vid.

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Yeah! Thanks for tuning in.

@silentgamer666 11 ай бұрын

What goes up must go down. Well, only because it didn't jump hard enough to escape gravity.

@kane2875 11 ай бұрын

finally, non-insect hexapods get the spotlight!

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

IKR FINALLY

@kane2875 11 ай бұрын

@@KQEDDeepLook unfortunately proturans and diplurans barely even get acknowledged if at all :(

@wisdomaxolotl2766 11 ай бұрын

I didnt realize they had actual spring-tails

@Machtyn 11 ай бұрын

It's a good thing they don't have an inner ear. They'd be amazingly dizzy after all that flipping about!

@DavidCruickshank 11 ай бұрын

Loved how fun you made this video!

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Yay, thank you!

@Action_0051 11 ай бұрын

It's a miss opportunity to call it a Catbug

@OkgoodGrief 11 ай бұрын

My crested gecko bio active terrerium has them, theyre very fun watching them eat cucumberw

@happymantis2860 11 ай бұрын

I love springtails, they’re such impressive animals… and very cute! I don’t know too many other things that could JUMP OFF OF WATER. Thank you for sharing this incredible footage!

@piligarcia3239 11 ай бұрын

They’re kinda cute. Fun little video 🎪💕

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for your kind words! We're glad you enjoyed the video.

@piligarcia3239 11 ай бұрын

@@KQEDDeepLook Yeah 😊

@Bruh-bf2bn 8 ай бұрын

This is one of the funniest little guys ive ever seen

@koneko_3 11 ай бұрын

i kinda think these guys are cute like wow they are so cute lol

@devluz 11 ай бұрын

You should work with the guy from the youtube channel Ant Lab. He has a lot of videos of insects jumping for his research. Love this stuff!

@AntLab 11 ай бұрын

Seconded

@mimemouse997 11 ай бұрын

Some Springtails even live in Antarctica 🇦🇶

@kmbdbob 11 ай бұрын

I see these blue ones all the times in our gardenhouse. They float in puddles made from our watering system. I dont see any predators other than our boots.

@roundegg000 11 ай бұрын

For me, this has the best thumbnail

@kynlykereh2910 5 ай бұрын

The water strider be like: this ain't funny guys!

@yanjijay6752 11 ай бұрын

Spring tails thought spring tails were like fruit flys

@niczsajvondrew-sterling3061 11 ай бұрын

This was super cool and interesting

@bankerdave888 11 ай бұрын

Walk on water, just like someone in the famous book!

@Eleora1997Msia 11 ай бұрын

such an entertaining little insect *boing and fly to into the air* circus in town

@Tulip3030 11 ай бұрын

That looked REALLY cool, also liked the lil physics lesson~

@drentify Ай бұрын

I just bought some Bilobella Braunarae at nearly £1 a springtail. So expensive for something that grows to 4mm long lol. Love these little guys!

@jimday666 7 ай бұрын

So in freefly basically a skydiver or windtunneler, arches and lowers its center of gravity to stabilize itself. Neat

@Justgoodvids 11 ай бұрын

Remember to never spring under the influence

@chrisbrown5700 11 ай бұрын

Wow The voice acting on that one was really next level

@tangytablets5150 11 ай бұрын

The cutest lil flips

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Flips and floops

@societysfinest 7 ай бұрын

This was so lovely on a rainy morning 🌧

@TheNoerdy 11 ай бұрын

I’ve heard of the ecosystem under water, on land, or under land, but never on water!

@animalpatrolworld 11 ай бұрын

Entertaining storytelling.. These little lives we don't see by our normal eyes. Glad we have these great cameras now ❤

@victorianidetch 11 ай бұрын

These little hexapods are sooo cool! Nicely done Deep Look!

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Thank you 🤗

@liselfournillier1163 11 ай бұрын

Yay! Another amazing episode always enjoyed watching your vids thumbs up 👍 😊

@KQEDDeepLook 11 ай бұрын

Thank you so much 😀

@DummyTofu_k01 27 күн бұрын

i saw one of these in my school a few days ago! I remember attempting to pick up one but it jumped away from me- I love those lil guys :>>

@Sjalabais 11 ай бұрын

Tiny creatures who all seem to have nailed their doctorate in physics.

@LazyTallGuy 11 ай бұрын

The water fleas lol so much better in slowmo.

@johnryanhisarza3343 11 ай бұрын

Springtails are tiny circus acrobats, having fun to jump over the water wherever they lived. I found out the tiniest secret why they jump so fast in a blink of an eye. 👁️😅 Obviously, they're players. 😂

@LuckyCoinFrog 11 ай бұрын

Yay! Great video! I have springtails for my bio active setups. :)

@CUTEBABYWUBBOX7512 11 ай бұрын

When springtails jump and does like doing backflips it makes me laugh like nature is funny

@inthebeam6231 Ай бұрын

they're so cute!

@christophertadeo6120 11 ай бұрын

"The furcula!!"😀... Feisty.. 🙃

@sheldonmurphy6031 8 ай бұрын

To Laura: Just watched the California Turret Spider vid; and now this. Your narrating style and voice is awesome!! Subscribed 😊

@FaceD0wnDagon 10 ай бұрын

I unintentionally introduced these to my freshwater aquarium. The fish love the occasional live snack, and they help keep things clean!

@jonathanbee514 11 ай бұрын

incredibly cute another great video!!

@andreseriliano1761 11 ай бұрын

I thought bugs can't be cute, why I haven't heard of these critters before??

@Jannellbathbabe 11 ай бұрын

They’re pests. I’ve been trying to get rid of them for months

@footfault1941 11 ай бұрын

Amazing! Deep Look did it again! Pricise analysis of mechanism & kinematics is exceeding expectation! For such a tiny creature, under different regime of aerodynamics/physics, which requires specialized adaptation. How such a feat becomes possible? Here's n answer. Jumping water strider is an extra gift (personally)! Their long slim legs are not only for water surface. Another satisfactory work! Keep it up! Thanks!