New England: Snow Fleas are Coming, Here’s What You Should Know

Here is one more thing to keep in mind when you shovel your way out of snow this winter. You may come face to face with a little bug known as the snow flea.

Yes, it makes its home in the snow.

Should we be worried about these little critters? Let’s take a deeper dive.

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Snow Fleas Jumping in Massachusetts

Massachusetts Reddit users were in a frenzy one wintery season when snow fleas were popping up in driveways.

One user thought there was “black dust” on their pathway, and quickly realized it wasn’t dust at all.

“I bent down to get a closer look, and that is when I noticed that the dust was moving! It wasn’t just moving; it was jumping into the air all around me!” the user wrote.

Snow Fleas!

The amount of fleas this user found was alarming, but are these little bugs something to be concerned about?

What Are Snow Fleas?

The Farmers' Almanac described snow fleas as an arthropod with six legs, most closely related to crustaceans.

Often referred to as springtails, snow fleas are found speckled within snow banks and get their name because of their jumping ability.

“Snow fleas have a sort of tail (called a furcula) that is responsible for their jumping,” the almanac states. “Snow fleas jump around on top of the snow, traveling up to several inches in one leap.

Are Snow Fleas Invasive?

Here’s the good news. Snow fleas do not bite. They help our ecosystem. They feed on decaying organic matter in the soil in warmer months and often go unnoticed, but it's their crazy ability to produce a certain protein that lets them thrive in snow, making them visible in a landscape of white.

“Snow fleas produce their own type of antifreeze, a protein that is rich in the amino acid glycine,” the almanac states. “Glycine prevents the formation and enlargement of ice crystals, enabling these creatures to keep on munching organic materials despite the bitter cold.”

So, if you see these little bugs hopping around your freshly paved driveway this season, do not fret.

They may look like dreaded bed bugs or pesky fleas, but you and your animals are safe.