This festival of waxy lumps is a baby biting midge, AKA a Forcipomyia larvae. Before they grow up to be bloodsuckers, they're surprisingly cute.

They're very common on decaying logs here in Aotearoa, but I don't often photograph them. However, my good friend and fellow macrophotographer Andy Murray loves them, and has a whole webpage dedicated to them - so go check that out!

https://www.chaosofdelight.org/forcipomyia

#SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #SoilFauna #Mesofauna #Macrophotography #Macro #Nature #NaturePhotography

Now Bug of the Year is over, normal service can resume!

Here's an incredibly feathery velvet mite (Chyzeriidae) from New Zealand. These active predators wander the forest floor, looking for springtails to ambush and drink dry using their piercing mouthparts! Beautiful but deadly.

#Invertebrate #Macrophotography #Entomology #Acarology #Acari #SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #Mesofauna #Arthropod

As giant springtails age, they grow more robust and develop longer spikes on their antennae and backs.

Nobody knows how long they can live for, probably a few years, but this gnarled Holacanthella duospinosa has all the hallmarks of a long innings!

#SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #SoilFauna #Mesofauna #Macrophotography #Collembola #Entomology #NaturePhotography

Here's another beautiful springtail from my recent macrophotography trip out in the NZ bush.

There's so many stunning soil invertebrates here in Aotearoa, and most are still unknown to science. Hopefully through my research and photography I'll be able to help change that, even a little bit...

#Macrophotography #SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #Entomology #Collembola #MesoFauna

It's almost time for the Entomological Society of New Zealand's 'Bug of the Year' 24 contest!

There's 20 worthy competitors, but only one obvious champion - the Globular Springtail. Join me on #TeamGlob2024 this January and vote to spring these tiny heroes to victory!

https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/

#Collembola #Springtail #Mesofauna #TeamGlob

This stunning, flat-bodied springtail is in the genus Platanurida, and can be found in old-growth beech forests in Aotearoa New Zealand.

That flattened body is perfect for helping them squeeze under loose bark and into cracks on deadwood to escape predators!

#Macrophotography #Collembola #Mesofauna #SoilFauna #SoilBiology

Al fin publicado!

#trophic #mesofauna #microarthropods

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023076478

It turns out that you can travel to the other side of the world and Neanura muscorum are still gonna be right there with you, in all their cuteness.

#Macrophotography #SoilEcology #SoilFauna #Springtail #Collembola #Mesofauna

Another stunning springtail (check out the setose ventral tube!) from Port Hills in Christchurch (Entomobryoidea, possibly family Paronellidae).

Does anyone know of a modern ID key to Collembola in New Zealand?

I can't find a contemporary key, so I've started writing one... help?!

#Macrophotography #Springtail #Collembola #Mesofauna #SoilEcology #SoilFauna

My first macrophotography venture in New Zealand was extremely productive, starting with this absolutely STUNNING Dicyrtomidae springtail, known as Calvatomina superba.

Just look at that patterning and those orange eye plates!

#Macrophotography #Collembola #Springtail #SoilEcology #SoilFauna #Mesofauna