Arrhopalites caecus, one of the first species I introduced to the hobby. Photographed by Ben Gruver and used with permission.

A little about springtails:

Springtails are a diverse group of hexapods which are classified separately from insects and other groups. They are, for the most part, detritivores who feed on decaying organic matter, microbes, and fungi in nature. This is what makes them so useful in terrariums and bioactive enclosures; they break down organic matter into fertile soil and are one of those organisms who bring the cycles of nature full circle. Springtails are among the most abundant animals on land and have a rich diversity of over 9,500 described species with estimates being that there are 50,000 or more species in the world. Springtails fill many niches in the ecosystem with most being found in or just above the soil layer, while some are specialized for life on the surface of water such as Podura aquatica, or for life on and in wood like Vertagopus arboreus, and others inhabit the more arid niches where moisture is scarce, such as Willowsia neonigromaculata. Many species prove to be difficult to keep in captivity and much is left to be learned about springtail husbandry and the ways that new species can be useful in bioactive enclosures or terrariums. We in the springtail hobby wish to crack these codes and to bring new interesting species into culture to be put to use as cleanup crews, subjects of scientific study, or to simply be kept as fascinating and fulfilling pets.