Swarming springtails

 

Podurid(?) springtail swarms on the forest floor

Snow fleas is a name used for collembola in the temperate zone for their swarming behavior over melting snows in spring. I do not think there is much literature on Western Ghat forest springtails and their swarming - presumably following the first summer rains (these were seen in March 2025 in Wayanad). These swarms form bluish grey dust on the ground that begins to bristle when disturbed. The swarm moves slowly on foot with some members making leaps and whole cloud like formations drift along the forest floor, presumably following the slope of the land. Remarkably little has been written about forest little organisms in the Western Ghats, even less so about such seasonal spectacles. Presumably the first rains flood the soil and leaf litter layer and flush the organisms, although it is possible that these are newly emerged and following weather cues too. 

Here are some videos of the springtails swarms in action. 

• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Collembola_swarming_2.webm
• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Collembola_swarming_3.webm
• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Collembola_swarming_4.webm

Postscript

June 2025 - the rains flush out some springtails out of the soil in Bangalore too. 

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/288700709