Summary
A springtail is smaller than a grain of rice but can hurl itself into the air to escape danger. Deep Look films the little latch-and-spring tail tucked under its body that flings it away in an instant.
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All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Talk about it
A springtail keeps a forked tail latched under its belly like a loaded spring. Release it, and the tail snaps down, flipping the springtail out of reach of a predator.
- How does a springtail jump without legs made for jumping?
- Why is a sudden escape leap useful for such a tiny animal?
- How is the springtail's tail like a loaded spring?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: latch, spring, energy, escape.
Try it: Bend a plastic ruler over the desk edge and let it snap. Write how a springtail's tail stores and releases energy the same way.