Sprintail sequence

alfbranch

alfbranch

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Alf
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Generally these shots would be consigned to the bin but as a sequence they show something.

Some shots from a recent macro safari.
Some of these are not very good but they show a sequence of events I shot without really seeing what was happening. This is on the surface of some water in a hanging basket in my garden {no soil) on a windwy day so getting a shot at all was not easy as these lot would move a couple of cm in a gust.

But what is happening?

No water drop

Sprintail sequence 1 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Now a water drop

Sprintail sequence 2 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

With water drop in background

Sprintail sequence 3 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Getting closer

Sprintail sequence 4 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Very close but three is a crowd

Sprintail sequence 5 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Now only two

Sprintail sequence 6 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

and now what

Sprintail sequence 7 by Alf Branch, on Flickr
 
RyanB said:
Pretty amazing sequence, really highlights how tiny they are when water tension will support them like that.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ryan

Paul Iddon said:
How do they breed? Is it a courtship thing?
Click to expand...

Thanks Paul
I wondered whether they were breeding but no see below

GardenersHelper said:
Good work Alf. I love series. And fascinating to see them walking on water.

A couple of cm movement for subjects in the low or even perhaps sub mm range! Well done with that.
Click to expand...

Thanks Nick
The large ones are about 2.5mm long

This is what I was told

This is Dicyrtomina saundersi, a typical soil species.
The specimens are trapped on the watersurface. They cannot escape given they are not adapted to walk on water... They are trying to escape but will float back to the center of the container due to meniscus effects of the watersurface.
A water container in the garden is a death trap for many Collembola... Putting a floating twig in it will save most of them.
I have provided a palm loeaf as a ramp.
 
alfbranch said:
Thanks Ryan



Thanks Paul
I wondered whether they were breeding but no see below



Thanks Nick
The large ones are about 2.5mm long

This is what I was told

This is Dicyrtomina saundersi, a typical soil species.
The specimens are trapped on the watersurface. They cannot escape given they are not adapted to walk on water... They are trying to escape but will float back to the center of the container due to meniscus effects of the watersurface.
A water container in the garden is a death trap for many Collembola... Putting a floating twig in it will save most of them.
I have provided a palm loeaf as a ramp.
Click to expand...
I will put twigs in all of the water containers in my garden tonight. What happens to them in ponds I wonder.
 
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