A Bugs Life In Svalbard - Nexta Expeditions
A Bug’s Life in Svalbard

A Bug’s Life in Svalbard

When you think about Svalbard wildlife, you might imagine reindeer, Arctic foxes, polar bears – the primary animal attractions that draw passengers to an Arctic cruise. But in fact, the Svalbard archipelago is a thriving location for over 1,000 species of terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates: animals that lack backbones. Despite this richness of life, however, these invertebrates are only found in the Isfjord and Kongsfjord areas of these wonderfully diverse islands.

The bountiful bugs of Svalbard

There are over 250 species of insects recorded on Svalbard, including flies, fleas, and aphids. Beetles are found there too, though in lesser numbers compared to their global population: Beetles make up nearly 40% of insect species worldwide, but on Svalbard, they comprise only 8.8%. Indeed, only 20 recorded beetle species are located on the islands. The beetles found there are nonetheless tough: Predatory rove beetles, for example, are commonly found under stones at the base of bird cliffs. They eat springtails, six-legged invertebrates that measure just 3 millimeters (.1 inch) in length.

Svalbard wasps

Wasps are common on Svalbard and consist of two groups: the plant-feeding wasp and the parasitic wasp. The plant-feeding wasps are known as sawflies due to the female’s saw-like ovipositor, which she uses to cut holes in plants to lay her eggs. Meanwhile, the parasitic wasps lay their eggs in the larvae of flies and sawflies, eventually eating the host larvae.

The Svalbard moth duo

Typically, locations around the world are full of butterflies and moths, but on Svalbard, there are only two species of moths, and no butterflies. There are also moths that occasionally get blown over the sea from the Norwegian mainland or from Finland, but these do not survive for long in the harsh conditions of Svalbard. Aphids are also found on the islands and survive by feeding on the Dryas octopetula, usually at the base of the leaves or on the flower shoots under the petals.

Svalbard’s many mites

At the smaller level, over 140 species of mite are known to live on Svalbard. The majority of them live in the soil, though they are also known to run over rocks on warm days. There are two groups of mites on Svalbard: hard-bodied and soft-bodied. Hard-bodied mites have the greatest diversity, with over 80 species found on Svalbard. The mites usually feed on dead plant material or fungi, and though they are very small (around 1 mm long, or .04 of an inch), they can live for many years. In fact, one species takes five years just to reach adulthood.

The small (but tough) of Svalbard

At the microscopic level, Svalbard is home to tardigrades, which range from 50-2,100 µm in size. They are a remarkably hardy species, surviving in extreme conditions around the world as well as low orbit over the Earth. On Svalbard, they live in small microhabitats, including mosses, lichens, soil, and small meltwater hollows on glaciers.

Surviving Svalbard

But the question is, how do all these species survive the cold, harsh environment for which Svalbard is known? Invertebrates in Svalbard face long winters and short, cool summers. These species must not only be able to tolerate the cold but also grow and reproduce during a limited number of summer months. Invertebrates have adapted to the harsh conditions of Svalbard.

Frozen-solid state

Unlike Svalbard reindeer, which maintain an elevated core temperature using their insulating fat and fur, invertebrates have core temperatures that can plummet to -30°C (-22°F). In addition, these tough species need to deal with extreme desiccation and anoxia (dryness and absence of oxygen, respectively). Pushing the boundaries of life still further, invertebrates can survive in outside temperatures of -60°C (-76°F). Many invertebrate species, once frozen, are very tolerant and able to survive for over four years at temperatures below -20°C (-4°F). There are a few strategies these invertebrates employ in order to survive these brutal conditions.

Strategies of Svalbard invertebrates

When temperatures fall below 0°C (32°F), the chance of freezing can be fatal. Invertebrates have three choices to make in such conditions: First, they can survive the formation of ice inside their bodies by becoming freeze-tolerant (freeze tolerance); second, they can prevent the water inside their bodies from freezing (freeze avoidance); or third, they can remove the water from their bodies (dehydration).

Tolerating the Svalbard cold

Invertebrates that tolerate the cold do so by creating specialized ice-nucleating proteins in their haemolymph. This means freezing is restricted to extracellular water. This act enables insects to survive for long periods of exposure, reducing its metabolic rate and conserving fluids.

Svalbard frost avoidance

Freeze-avoidant species produce polyhydroxy alcohols, such as glycerol or trehalose, to avoid freezing. They also produce antifreeze proteins, which bind ice crystals and prevent them from growing further. One Svalbard aphid species even overwinters as an egg. This aphid’s life cycle is finely tuned to the short summer, producing eggs well before winter. These eggs are cold-resistant, capable of enduring temperatures of -38°C (-36.4°F). During the overwinter period, these eggs are attached to the leaves of trees found along ridgelines or at the top of slopes, where only a thin layer of insulating snow lies. This means the egg is exposed to low temperatures around -30°C (-22°F). By overwintering in places with low snow cover, however, aphids enjoy one of the first places free of snow after the spring melt.

Dry out or die out

Another species that uses dehydration to survive the winter is the earthworm, whose cocoon remains unfrozen even during subzero temperatures. The earthworm has a system in which water vapor inside its body is pushed to the surrounding ice. The species will dehydrate until the vapor pressure of its bodily fluid equals that of the atmosphere. As temperatures begin to warm, the humidity of the air surrounding the insect increases. The earthworm then rehydrates and eventually regains activity. Another species, the Megaphorura arctica, is able to survive the winter by dumping more than 60% of its water in less than an hour.

Best Deals

Related Trips

Around Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

Around Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet

calendar14 Aug 2025 - 23 Aug 2025
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 5.650 per person
Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes

calendar23 Aug 2025 - 05 Sep 2025
clock14 Days / 13 Nights
From $ 7.450 per person
Alpine Peaks of Spitsbergen, Ski & Sail - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

Alpine Peaks of Spitsbergen, Ski & Sail

calendar01 May 2026 - 08 May 2026
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 3.950 per person
Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice Edge, Spitsbergen, Birding - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Aberdeen

Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice Edge, Spitsbergen, Birding

calendar27 May 2026 - 05 Jun 2026
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 3.050 per person
North Spitsbergen - Arctic Spring ,  Hike & Sail - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen - Arctic Spring , Hike & Sail

calendar29 May 2026 - 05 Jun 2026
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 3.950 per person
North Spitsbergen - Arctic Spring , Birding Special - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen - Arctic Spring , Birding Special

calendar05 Jun 2026 - 15 Jun 2026
clock11 Days / 10 Nights
From $ 5.600 per person
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Into the pack ice - Polar Bear Special - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen Explorer - Into the pack ice - Polar Bear Special

calendar05 Jun 2026 - 12 Jun 2026
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.450 per person
Arctic Ocean - Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Akureyri

Arctic Ocean - Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding

calendar05 Jun 2026 - 13 Jun 2026
clock9 Days / 8 Nights
From $ 2.750 per person
Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding - Summer Solstice - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Aberdeen

Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding - Summer Solstice

calendar12 Jun 2026 - 21 Jun 2026
clock10 Days / 9 Nights
From $ 3.050 per person
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Into the pack ice - Polar Bear Special - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen Explorer - Into the pack ice - Polar Bear Special

calendar12 Jun 2026 - 19 Jun 2026
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.450 per person
North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife

calendar13 Jun 2026 - 20 Jun 2026
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.450 per person
North Spitsbergen Basecamp – Summer Solstice - Free Kayaking, Hiking, Photo Workshop, Diving (supplemented) - Nexta Expeditions
Arctic
Longyearbyen

North Spitsbergen Basecamp – Summer Solstice - Free Kayaking, Hiking, Photo Workshop, Diving (supplemented)

calendar19 Jun 2026 - 26 Jun 2026
clock8 Days / 7 Nights
From $ 4.450 per person

Blog
go-leftgo-right

The Best Arctic and Antarctic Trips for Families - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The Best Arctic and Antarctic Trips for Families

Polar expedition cruises are often enjoyed by couples and an increasing number of solo travelers, but they can also be a fantastic adventure for families. If you have the budget to bring the whole family along, there are various polar trips that will make everyone equally excited about the ice.
Polar Bear Primer: Eight Facts About the Arctic Wanderer - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Polar Bear Primer: Eight Facts About the Arctic Wanderer

Polar bears inhabit the Arctic region across 19 subpopulations, including areas in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. These majestic creatures prefer the edges of pack ice where currents and wind interact, creating a dynamic environment of melting and refreezing that forms ice patches and leads, which are open spaces in the sea between sea ice.
What the ice reveals about Antarctica - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

What the ice reveals about Antarctica

The continent you'll explore during your Antarctica cruise is far more than just an ice-covered land with penguins, whales, and seals. Beneath the thick ice lie hidden freshwater lakes teeming with thousands of microbes, hinting at a diverse array of life. In 2013, a team of researchers obtained the first uncontaminated water sample ever retrieved directly from an Antarctic lake.
Six Facts About the Crabeater Seals of Antarctica - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Six Facts About the Crabeater Seals of Antarctica

Antarctic fur seals, leopard seals, Weddell seals, Ross seals, southern elephant seals... The many seal species of Antarctica all have names that are in some way explained by their appearance or primary region of distribution.
Baleen Whales – The Gentle Giants of the Ocean - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Baleen Whales – The Gentle Giants of the Ocean

They are the largest animals on Earth, yet they thrive on some of the tiniest creatures. These giants can reach lengths of 30 meters (90 feet), but it is the microscopic zooplankton, krill, and small fish that sustain them. These are the baleen whales. Unlike toothed whales, baleen whales lack teeth. Instead, they use plates of baleen in their mouths to trap and consume their tiny prey.
Svalbard’s Texas Bar - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Svalbard’s Texas Bar

Texas Bar is one of the historic areas we visit on certain Svalbard trips, and it always proves to be a cherished landing site among both our guides and guests. This might be surprising, however, given that its name can be a bit misleading.
Life in the Polar Regions - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Life in the Polar Regions

Polar bears in the Arctic, penguins in Antarctica.
Secrets of the Snowy Owl: Habitat, Adaptations, and Other Facts - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Secrets of the Snowy Owl: Habitat, Adaptations, and Other Facts

The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus), also known as the great white owl or Arctic owl, is one of the most distinctive bird species on the planet. While you won’t find them in all areas of the Arctic – they don’t exist in Svalbard due to the lack of lemmings – snowy owls are seen in the polar regions of Eurasia and North America and are a potential visitor during Greenland cruises. The binomial species name, “scandiacus,” is derived from Scandinavia, as this is where the bird was first discovered. The snowy owl is the official bird of Quebec, and they are a must-see for countless bird watchers and naturalists.
Birding Opportunities Abound in Spitsbergen - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Birding Opportunities Abound in Spitsbergen

Seabirds are the most prevalent type of bird in Spitsbergen. Experts have estimated that there are 164 bird species that have been found throughout Spitsbergen at various points during recent history, but only 30 of them are known to turn to the Svalbard Islands as their primary breeding spot.
Harp seals harping on in Greenland - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Harp seals harping on in Greenland

Harp seals are a moderately sized species, typically reaching about 1.6 meters in length and weighing around 130 kilograms. Both males and females are similar in size and weight, with males being only slightly larger. They possess a thick, robust body, a small broad and flat head, short narrow flippers, and a narrow muzzle.
The Emperor Penguin of the Drake Passage - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

The Emperor Penguin of the Drake Passage

There are certain moments in life when a series of events combine to create an experience that is both unexpected and unforgettable. These are the times when you are reminded how fortunate you are to be a part of something that few people will ever have the opportunity to experience. This trip to Antarctica was full of these moments for me.
Islands of the Blessed: Things to Do Around Cape Verde - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Islands of the Blessed: Things to Do Around Cape Verde

We visit Cape Verde and its capital city of Praia during our occasional St. Helena to Cape Verde voyages. Characterized by peaceful days at sea, these trips allow you to see some of the lesser-known gems of the Atlantic.
Narwhals: the Aquatic Unicorns of the Arctic - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Narwhals: the Aquatic Unicorns of the Arctic

Though narwhals are among the rarest whale species encountered during our Arctic expeditions, a journey to the Arctic regions of Greenland and Svalbard always holds the potential for spotting these elusive creatures.
Two for the Snow: Polar Cruises for Couples - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Two for the Snow: Polar Cruises for Couples

Do you know the old saying, “Cold hands, warm heart”? In our opinion, that bodes well for couples who visit the polar regions.
17 Reasons to Cruise the Falklands - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

17 Reasons to Cruise the Falklands

Maybe you’ve already marveled at the colossal penguin colonies of South Georgia, sailed among the plunging seals of the Antarctic Peninsula, and watched whales in the Weddell Sea lunge among titanic tabular icebergs.
12 Things to Do in Antarctica - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

12 Things to Do in Antarctica

Traveling to Antarctica is unlike traveling to any other place on Earth.
Bouvet Island: The Most Remote Island in the World - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Bouvet Island: The Most Remote Island in the World

On January 1, 1739, French Commander Jean-Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier made an extraordinary discovery: a volcanic island so remote that it lies 2,600 km (1,600 miles) from the nearest inhabited land.
10 Common Misconceptions About the Arctic - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

10 Common Misconceptions About the Arctic

The Arctic is a vast region. Truly immense.
Seven Sublime Antarctic Bays - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Seven Sublime Antarctic Bays

Antarctica is renowned for its glaciers, icebergs, and panoramic colonies of penguins. However, less known are the stunning crystal-clear bays that dot the Great White Continent, many of which are explored on our Antarctica cruise routes.
Six Must-See Svalbard Sites - Nexta Expeditions
Blog

Six Must-See Svalbard Sites

It's home to humanity's last-ditch supply of crop seeds, the world's northernmost settlement of over 1,000 people, and it is one of the best places on Earth to spot a polar bear.