Home › Volumes › Insects › Springtails and Fishmoths

Family Smynthuridae

These are globular-bodied with long four-jointed antennae. The ventral spring is composed of a basal portion and two arms. We have a half dozen or more described species in the United States. They occur in vegetable mold, upon decaying wood, and feed upon the spores and mycelium of fungi. Some are found upon aquatic plants, and some under stones in woods. Lubbock, writing of one of these minute insects, Smynthurus luteus, says: "It is very amusing to see these little creatures coquetting together. The male, which is smaller than the female, runs around her and they butt one another, standing face to face and moving backwards and forwards like two playful lambs. Then the female pretends to run away, and the male runs after her, with a queer appearance of anger, gets in front and stands facing her again; then she turns 'round, but he, quicker and more active, scuttles around too and seems to whip her with his antennae; then for a bit they stand face to face, play with their antennae, and seem to be all in all to one another."