Comments for
Tiny borer Charcoal/blue (Springtail)

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Springtail
by: Moni

Meggin
Your blue insect is a springtail in the Class Collembola. When I was in college they were considered an insect the new classification puts them as an insect relative. Your blue springtail is probably Vertagopus arboreus, known for its blue color, short antenna and segmented abdomen.
It is probably and introduced species from the UK.
These critters are found everywhere in soil, leaf litter, and any area of decaying organic matter.
Some species of springtails can be found even in winter on snow.
Springtails feed on decaying organic matter. So tho they looked like borers, they did not kill the tree or plant they were on...they are only eating what plant parts are starting to decay. Because of this they are considered a good bug, by helping decay compost and other dead plant materials.

Those are good photos and would be nice addition to Bugguide.net photos as well as the fact these have not been documented for Ohio. Here is the page of photos of this species http://bugguide.net/node/view/98015/bgimage Since I can not be positive of the species since I do not have the critters under a microscope you should enter it as ID request.

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