Sulzfluh via ferrata

We are in the middle of the via ferrata and enjoying the view when suddenly a movement draws our attention nearby again. A small animal crawls beside the iron ladder over the rock. It takes good eyes to even spot it. It is gray-speckled like the rock and only about one centimeter long – excluding the long antennae and tail threads. What is scurrying next to the via ferrata over the rock is a springtail. A small, wingless insect. During the day, it mostly stays hidden in damp places, such as in rock crevices or under one of the few plants that grow here. But occasionally, when it is not too hot or too cold, the springtails venture out of their hiding places even without the protection of darkness to walk over the rocks and scrape off lichens and algae with their strong jaws. They thus essentially clean the rock. To prevent the animal from drying out during extended dry spells, nature has devised a trick: the springtail has an organ on its legs that allows it to absorb moisture from the