Mous

Springtail update: I regret to announce that though my jar populations are thriving, a horrible worm* is preying on my attempts to establish a terrarium population. >:(

I'd originally decided not to get isopods for this build because they might nibble on the roots of my plants if they don't have enough food, but word is they're great population control for flatworms so it looks like I'll be getting some little rolly dudes after all.

*Rhyncodemus sylvaticus, probably

(Springtails are doing well btw. Lots of lil guys scurrying all over their jars)

Added more water to the terrarium for the first time since the springtails came in, got a brief flood of Little Guys all running around on the surface of the water. :)

This is skipping a bit ahead in my terrarium-building posts, but I wanted to share that due to a surprise tenant I wound up skipping past cultivating my own springtail culture and ordered some instead! They're not exactly easy to photograph, especially without a macro lens, but they're in there - I promise. :)

I ordered two types as I wasn't certain which would be better suited to the environment in my terrarium. They're referred to as "pink" and "blue" but they're honestly "warm white" and "gray", as often is the case with bugs. They've each been set up in their own jar with some wet peat, leaf litter, a stalk of dry yarrow, and a fern leaf - plus a little nutritional yeast sprinkled in as a treat. I'm going to give them a week or two to settle in and breed, then hopefully seed the terrarium with them!

So far the pinks are very active and seem to be quite fond of the fern.