Orchesella Identification Guide

The genus Orchesella is characterized by:

• Body scales absent.
• 6 antennal segments with ant1+2 both subdivided. However: one or both antennae may be reduced in length due to damage, and the first instars have only 4 antennal segments hence fail to key out.
• Head with 7 + 7 or more eyes, postantennal organ absent.

There are five species on the UK checklist but only two are commonly encountered:

Orchesella cincta "Belted Springtail"
One of the commonest springtails in Britain, reaching ~4mm. Key feature: dorsal surface of abd3 fully pigmented (this can be important in preserved specimens).



Juvenile (<6 antennal segments):



Orchesella villosa "Shaggy Springtail"
Common and widespread, one of the largest springtails reaching ~5mm length. Pigmentation patterns on the body in patches and are variable but ant2-ant4 mostly dark(c.f. O. cincta). Long, backward curved macrosetae on abdomen (although these can be lost):


Bald specimen:


Orange/yellow "knees":

 

 

Orchesella flavescens (rare) looks similar to O. cincta but the broad transverse bar is on abd3 rather than abd4 as in O. cincta. In addition, O. flavescens has two lateral longitudinal stripes (c.f. O. quinquefasciata - 5 longitudinal stripes).