At any time in the winter, whenever a few days of mild weather occur, the surface of the snow, often, over whole acreas of woodland, may be found sprinkled more or less thickly with these minute fleas, looking at first sight, as though gunpowder had been there scattered. Hollows and holes in the snow, out of which the insects are unable to throw themselves readily, are often black with multitudes which here become imprisoned. The fine meal-like powder with which their bodies are coated, enables them to float bouyantly upon the surface of water, without becoming wet. Although springtails are very common insects and often very abundant, they are seldom observed. Their small size and the fact that they are often found in concealed situations keeps them out of view for most of us.
Springtails occur in leaf mold, damp soil, under bark, in decaying logs and in fungi.
A few are found on water. Most species are believed to feed on organic debris. This is one of the few insects that occur in the adult stage during the wintertime. It is a curiosity more than anything else and is of interest to the naturalist as well as the scientist.