Its said that great things come in little packages, and the incredible Snow Flea is called a "Spring tail" is no exception. This species is about the size of a fleck of pepper! With a name that includes "flea" you might think that they bite however, they are totally harmless and not a flea at all. They actually belong to a very large group of flightless 6 legged arthropods that are helpful "decomposers" of soil. Snow flees actually eat Algae that they find on the surface of the snow so they are a miniature herbivore, traveling in huge herds are just like tiny bison on a migration along a hidden world. In summer, they are almost never seen because their dark black bodies blend in so well to the leaf litter. In winter they contrast against the bright white snow cover and yet are still often over looked mistaken for tiny debris. So the next time your hiking in the North County keep a look out for our tiny little neighbors the amazing Snow Fleas! I'm Mark Fraser and to join me on more exciting wildlife adventures you can find me at my website www.naturewalks... and check out my blog http:www/naturewalkswithmark.org/blog
17 окт 2024
