Silver dust?

There is a very fine layer of dust over the snow. Its gray/silver and it almost looks like silver glitter. Its cool but bizarre. Andrew and I can't remember if the layer of dust was already in when we arrived or if its new. I just went out to take a picture (for illustration purposes) and to our surprise we found out that its little tiny itsy bitsy animals!!!!

Who are our visitors?

Turns out that these guys are springtails, or snow fleas:

Snow fleas are commonly called springtails and even though they love the snow, are often present during the colder months of moderate temperature areas. These minute insects from the Hypogastruridae family and Collembola order are known as the Hypogastrura nivicola species. No larger than 1/8 inch long, these stout bodied, wingless insects jump so quickly when they are disturbed that it appears they have simply disappeared. Unlike other fleas, the diet of the snow fleas consist mainly of the mold and fungus found on decaying leaf matter. The best way to observe these amazing little creatures is to place you hand on top of the snow in an area that is peppered with snow fleas. Before long you will notice that the tiny black specks are disappearing from the snowy surface and reappearing on your hand. The minute you move your hand they will almost instantly disappear. One of the best places to find the snow flea is close to any bare spot at the base of a tree that is surrounded by snow...

....In many cases when the snow flea is found on the surface of snow they are preparing to migrate. When this occurs as many as a million of the insects will move across the ground in a relatively rounded mass that extends below the winter littering of leaves. The migration of the snow flea can take several days since the tiny creatures’ rest at night. Even when the migration is over they have only moved a short distance. It is believed that these migrations take place when the food supply in one area is exhausted. Although the average snow flea is a dark, dull gray color some species of this insect are blue, red, orange, gold, brown or green.

Maybe the little guys got the word and are ready to migrate just to open room for the visit of your majesty, El Tio Poderoso.

Another visitor this morning, was a flock of these nice guys:

Morning visitor

Isn't nature amazing?