Arthropods: what are springtails?

Self-tutoring about the soil ecosystem: the tutor mentions springtails.

The following is according to my understanding.

Today I noticed an article that says spiders eat 400 to 800 million tonnes of insects and collembolans every year. So, what’s a collembolan?

It seems to me that, to someone not expert (like myself) about arthropods, collembolans might seem like insects. For instance, they have six legs. The difference seems to be that insects have external chewing organs, while collembolans, internal. Apparently, collembolans are also referred to as springtails.

Collembolans, aka springtails, are quite common in moist soil, where they feed on decaying plant matter. They may also, in some cases, eat tender new growth, so can be seen as problematic that way. However, they are harmless to humans and animals.

Springtails, in many cases, have a forked tail that can be used to self-catapult to safety. I’ve never seen one do this, but apparently most springtails are small, perhaps around five millimetres or less. They tend to be, from my understanding, dull colours that would blend with the soil.

An example of a springtail is the snow flea. I recall seeing them as a kid, but couldn’t believe it. Yet, apparently, they’re a thing – in particular, a springtail example.

To sum up, springtails, collembolans, whatever one might call them, tend to be small, easily-overlooked, abundant denizens of moist soil. A lot of them can end up as food for spiders.

Source:

National Library of Medicine: “An estimated 400-800 million tons of prey are annually killed by the global spider community.”

Virginia Cooperative Extension: Springtails

University of Maine: Home and Garden IPM from Cooperative Extension: Springtails