Orchesella flavescens is a distinctive species (Figs. 1, 2) which Womersley (1924) described as 'the most magnificent springtail'. It reaches 5.0 mm in length although the live specimens in the photographs (collected from the Netherlands by Matty Berg) are only 3.0 mm. There are several scattered records from England, mostly from woodland leaf litter. As with all Orchesella, the antennae are often asymmetric (Figs. 1, 2 and 3).

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Fig. 1 (above) and Fig. 2 (below): Orchesella flavescens collected from pine forest in the Netherlands by Matty Berg.

Fig. 3 (above): Antennae of Orchesella flavescens collected by C.H. Jackson (date and locality unknown). The right antenna (antR) has six segments whereas the terminal segment of the left antenna (antL) is 'missing' and the fifth segment has grown longer (to compensate?).