Snow fleas (springtails)

[chasesugarbush]

I was out by the sugar shack this afternoon to put in some test taps with my kids and one said to me what are all the bugs on the snow dad without thinking I said snow fleas the all screamed and said we need to kill them all. I told them that they are good and they are really not fleas. I did some research on them and I found that they are a sign of the end of winter. Any body else have these little jumping bugs out in their bush?

[Run Forest Run!]

I was going to make a thread about the springtails too! I can honestly say that I had never noticed them in my entire life until last year when I tapped trees for the first time. Obviously they've always been there but I must never have been paying much attention.

I was kind of grossed out at first so I did the same thing you did and read up about them on the internet. I was pleased to hear that they weren't anything to worry about because they are here in the millions. Every footstep I've made in the snow seems to hold hundreds of them by the next day.

Thank goodness they filter out of the sap easily. lol