The ventral side of the fourth abdominal segment bears a furca, used in jumping, and it is the number of bristles on this organ that distinguishes this species from others in the genus.

[1] This springtail has been called a "tramp" species as it has spread around the world in soil and in plant pots and its original distribution is unclear.

It occurs in mines and caves, and in soils with a high organic content, on farms, in leaf litter in forests and on stream verges.

[1] Invertebrates living among the soil particles in underground habitats often experience raised levels of carbon dioxide, which tends to increase with depth.

Researchers have found that the surface-dwelling springtail Allacma fusca can tolerate a 10% level of carbon dioxide for a few hours while in contrast, Folsomia candida, which lives deeper in the soil, can survive under the same conditions for more than six weeks.