springtail
A tiny wingless insect of the order Collembola, known for its jumping ability. Often found in soil or leaf litter.
There are many springtails in the damp soil.
Variant kanji spelling; less common but still used.
Compound of 跳び (tobi, 'jumping', from 跳ぶ) and 虫 (mushi, 'insect'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the name directly describes the insect's jumping behavior.