Since yesterday (snowmelt/rain) we have thousands of smaller new roommates on the exterior facade and in the light well :eek:
thankfully only outside so far;)
I am a nature lover: Can anyone of you possibly help with what we have there / whether they are pests / or just a temporary phenomenon?
Many thanks!
These are snow fleas :)
Hypogastrura nivicola
"On frost-free days from the end of January, countless animals gather in depressions in the snow. 1,000 to 10,000 animals per m² are not uncommon for
C. sigillata and
H. socialis;
Desoria and
Vertagopus usually migrate at densities of less than one animal per m². In parts of their distribution area, such as subalpine coniferous forests, the presence of these species is limited during the summer half-year to accumulations of moist needle litter. The migrations presumably serve to find new habitats, as the food bases are quickly exhausted by mass reproduction in such small-scale habitats. For migrations over longer distances, the equally smooth and moist snow surface is far better suited for springtails than any forest floor. Obstacles can be overcome more easily and snow-free habitats can be reached quickly, where reproduction can begin early. For the species
Ceratophysella sigillata, it has been proven that it uses late winter and spring for dispersal, feeding, and reproduction, while summer and autumn are spent in dormancy. In addition to temperature, humidity, and light exposure, air pressure fluctuations are suspected to be controlling factors of the migrations. At a temperature below −3 °C,
D. hiemalis seeks shelter under the snow surface or in the soil; below −7 °C the species enters cold stupor. The cold tolerance of winter-active springtails varies by species between −2 and −44 °C." Wikipedia
They make their own antifreeze from the algae they eat - very interesting little creatures
