As the temperatures fluctuate this winter, take a look outside on a warmer, sunny winter day to see what insects or critters have awakened.
You might even be lucky enough to spot a gathering of snow fleas. I know what you#'re thinking, snow can#'t possibly have fleas!
Technically these insects aren't true fleas; they are part of the arthropod family called springtails.
Their locomotion consists of a certain method of catapulting themselves in random directions with two “tails#” tucked underneath their abdomen, which gives the allusion that they are hopping like fleas.
They are extremely successful in this method of transportation because they can leap distances hundreds of times their size!
Snow fleas are interesting insects because they appear as adults in the winter.
On the warmer days they will appear in order to eat decaying plant material or sap. You can see them if you find places where the snow has been slightly hollowed, or at the base of a tree where the snow has begun to melt.
The surface of the melting water that collects in these areas is slightly warmer than other places.
At certain times so many of these tiny insects may gather in these hollowed areas that they may color the snow black, appearing as #“pepper#” on the snow.
Some accounts list such an overwhelming congregation of snow fleas, so that there appears to be footprints in the snow.
The snow flea is active year-round, seeking refuge in leaf mold, damp soil, under bark, in decaying logs and fungi.
For the best chance of observing these insects it is recommended to look in the winter because of their contrast against the snow.
How then, you might ask, do these tiny insects stay alive during the majority of winter days that are not so sunny and warm?
They use a liquid similar to what you put into your car #- antifreeze! These tiny critters have antifreeze proteins in their system.
Other insects have AFP#s, too, but unlike the antifreeze proteins in beetles and moths, AFPs in snow fleas break down at higher temperatures.
Scientists recently researching these AFP#s are hopeful that they can extract the proteins and use them to increase the lifespan of human donor organs!
It is important for homeowners to understand that snow fleas are harmless. Although they may appear in abundance, they should not be a nuisance.
They are a tool in the recycling process of plant material and will not harm other vegetation or trees.
For more information, contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County at 255-1183.
To read articles about scientists#' discoveries pertaining to the snow flea, log on to http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/ 051021123223.htm.
Alexa Weigel-Krause is an AmeriCorps environmental education assistant at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County
Technically these insects aren't true fleas; they are part of the arthropod family called springtails.
Their locomotion consists of a certain method of catapulting themselves in random directions with two “tails#” tucked underneath their abdomen, which gives the allusion that they are hopping like fleas.
They are extremely successful in this method of transportation because they can leap distances hundreds of times their size!
Snow fleas are interesting insects because they appear as adults in the winter.
On the warmer days they will appear in order to eat decaying plant material or sap. You can see them if you find places where the snow has been slightly hollowed, or at the base of a tree where the snow has begun to melt.
The surface of the melting water that collects in these areas is slightly warmer than other places.
At certain times so many of these tiny insects may gather in these hollowed areas that they may color the snow black, appearing as #“pepper#” on the snow.
Some accounts list such an overwhelming congregation of snow fleas, so that there appears to be footprints in the snow.
The snow flea is active year-round, seeking refuge in leaf mold, damp soil, under bark, in decaying logs and fungi.
For the best chance of observing these insects it is recommended to look in the winter because of their contrast against the snow.
How then, you might ask, do these tiny insects stay alive during the majority of winter days that are not so sunny and warm?
They use a liquid similar to what you put into your car #- antifreeze! These tiny critters have antifreeze proteins in their system.
Other insects have AFP#s, too, but unlike the antifreeze proteins in beetles and moths, AFPs in snow fleas break down at higher temperatures.
Scientists recently researching these AFP#s are hopeful that they can extract the proteins and use them to increase the lifespan of human donor organs!
It is important for homeowners to understand that snow fleas are harmless. Although they may appear in abundance, they should not be a nuisance.
They are a tool in the recycling process of plant material and will not harm other vegetation or trees.
For more information, contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County at 255-1183.
To read articles about scientists#' discoveries pertaining to the snow flea, log on to http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/ 051021123223.htm.
Alexa Weigel-Krause is an AmeriCorps environmental education assistant at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County
