Water Flea (daphnia)

These are the very tiny creatures that you can see with a magnifying glass on the top of the water. They are probably the smallest creatures we can see in our pond. They are either translucent or brown and can be 0.3mm - 3mm long. 

They are actually not fleas at all but crustaceans, part of the same family as crabs and lobsters! They have an exoskeleton which means their skeleton is on the outside of their bodies.

They are called "fleas" because they swim in a jumpy, hoppy way, just like real fleas. 

There are lots of different types of water flea - about 450 worldwide.

They are filter feeders. They use their legs to wash tiny bits of algae and detritus into their mouths. As they are the smallest creature in the pond, they are also a tasty snack for everything else!