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Sprites are creatures mentioned in Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You.

Sprites (Family: Cordimundidae)[]

Representativesprites

Representative Sprite Species of the World

Dazzling in colour and about the size of large insects, sprites have glistening membranous wings. In fact, they are often confused with exotic insects or flowers at first glance.

Sprites

A plate with examples of Deep-Forest Sprite species.

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Considered by many to be the most common type of faerie, sprites prefer to live in deep woods and make their homes high in the branches of trees. They particularly love to live in forests inhabited by treefolk and other fey. If sprites are spotted, you can be sure you are in an area with a high concentration of faerie activity.

Sprites travel in swarms and will bite if provoked. At night their bodies give off a faint glow allowing them to be mistaken for fireflies. These, along with other flying insects and small birds, they are often fond of riding.

Petals and blooms missing from healthy plants may be due to sprites plucking them for clothing. Sprites also cause plants to bloom in the middle of winter and are the nurturers of the strange fruits faeries delight in.

In forests filled with sprites, you may find the hollowed-out acorns they use as cups, as well as dandelion-tuft mattresses and hats made from folded leaves.

Known Species[]

(Note: This classification officially confirmed.)

Flower and Grass Sprites~[]

  • Flower-Winged Sprite (Ala florida)
    ToadshadeSprite

    Toadshade, an Ala florida.

  • Flower-Head (Petasus floridus)
  • Sprout Sprite (Surculigens surculigens)
  • Thicket Sprite (Puella dumetae)

Orchid Sprites[]

  • Royal Orchid Sprite (Orchis regalis)
  • Common Orchid Sprite (Orchis communis)

Fruit Sprites[]

  • Little Blueberry Sprite (Bacula caerulea)

Insect Sprites[]

  • OrthesDevil's Spur (Calx diabolicus)
  • Leatherwing (Corium ala)

Dragonfly-like Sprites[]

  • Dancing Pondneedle (Lacunacus ballans)
  • Dragonfly-Faerie (Possibly; Scientific Name Unknown)
    ToadflySprite

    Bufomusca candens.

Beetle Sprites[]

  • Beetle Mimic (Scarabaeus imitator)

Woodland Sprites[]

  • Bearded Hopper (Gryllus barbatus)
  • Agile Hopper (Desultor agilis)

Toad and Frogflies[]

  • Glowing Toadfly (Bufomusca candens)
  • Rackham's Sprite (Ala rackhamensis)

Additional facts facts[]

Sometimes Sprites are called Faeries, although the term "Faerie" can be used to designate creatures like Trolls, Giants and Kelpies as well.

Some creatures commonly mistaken for Sprites are Pixies, Will-o'-the-Wisps and, surprisingly, Goblins. Some Goblin species have Sprite-like growths on their foreheads in the manner of anglerfish. These growths are used to attract the real Sprites; the Goblins' favorite food. Often, they make the body invisible, only leaving the growth still visible to Humans.

Sprites can be kept as pets, or companions if you prefer. Sadly, they could die within 5 or 6 years so keep them as a good pet.

Grass and Flower Sprites like to drink large amounts of sweet syrups, which always results in an upset stomach. Usually, Flower Sprites reside in meadows and gardens. In several cases, they remain at the same place for many, many years.

A common way of knowing if Sprites are around is strange music and the smell of honey and fresh bread coming from inhabited woodland. Don't try and join them, unless you are sure you've been chosen by the earth to join the magical fey world.

Many Orchid Sprites are delicate and rarely found in the wild. Only experienced Sprite keepers should attempt to host Orchid Sprites. Many of the species live in hot and humid climates.

Hominid, or Human-like, Sprites, such as Petasus floridus, are commonly the most aggressive and clever species, and should be regarded with caution. Just like crickets and katytids, Hopper Sprites (including Desultor agilis) sing as a primary communication method. Both male and female do this, and each specimen has it own different tone and song structure.

Certain species of Insect Sprites, such as Corium ala, are very intelligent and it can be quite stimulating to conversate with them. Many Sprites, like the Calx diabolicus, are capable of painful stings. On the Devil's Spur, the poisonous spur is located at the tibials. One species of Orchid Sprite, Pinna diabolicus, has tibial spurs as well.

Bearvedhopper

Dragonfly-like Sprites, such as Lacunacus ballans, are almost constantly on the wing.

Scarabaeus imitator Beetle Sprites are very agile and can perform many remarkable acrobatic feats, often to the great delight of audiences at Sprite exhibition shows.

Bacula caerulea Fruit Sprites have the peculiar behavior of carrying their food around on their heads. They eat the berry or fruit from the center outwards, replacing it when finished consuming it.

Some species, such as Ala rackhamensis, enjoy accessories and pets of their own, such as beetles, mice, and even small birds. However, if you spoil your Sprite it will become harder to maintenance.

Toad and Frogflies are the largest of all Sprites. They do quite well in captivity and enjoy the company of other species.

Known Sprites[]

Toadshade, Teaberry, Phlox, Trillium and Leatherleaf were all encountered by Arthur Spiderwick during his work with the Field Guide.

A number of Sprites used to play with Lucinda Spiderwick in her youth. When Lucinda's father disappeared in 1935, she moved with her mother to live with relatives. Lucy told her cousin about the little Fey, but Melvina Grace never really believed her. When Lucy moved back to the Spiderwick Estate, the Faeries tricked her to eat their food. It tasted so wonderful she thereafter couldn't bring herself to eat Human food.

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The Sprites helped Lucinda, fed and protected her. When Melvina sent Lucinda to an asylum, the Sprites came with her and brought their food. When the Grace children went to visit Lucinda at the mental hospital, the Sprites almost tricked Simon into eating one of their fruits. But Lucinda was faster and took the fruit before any harm was done.

Another group of Sprites lived in the forest north of Spiderwick Estate were encountered by Jared Grace when he and his sister went looking for Simon, who at the time had been kidnapped by the Goblins.

The Goblins who lived in Mulgarath's palace would often dip live Sprites in honey, which apparently made them taste better. When the Grace children wandered in the palace looking for their kidnapped mother, Simon tried to rescue the Sprites. Some were already dead, others were too deep in a barrel to reach.

One time, a boy named Juan G. was going to visit his grandparents in the country. Because Juan was from the city, he was afraid of sleeping at night and hearing the sounds of tree branches scraping at the window or a dog howling in the distance. Juan also had trouble sleeping because he was used to the lights from cars and neon signs, but in the country it was "as black as the inside of a closet". One night, the weekend after Thanksgiving, Juan saw tiny lights outside the window. It was a group of Sprites who lived in an old hollow tree. The faint glow from the tiny Faeries' bodys reminded Juan about the lights in the city. So after that, he only needed to think of the lights to fall asleep at night and never had any more problems sleeping in the country.

Behind the Scenes[]

In mythology, Sprite is a common term to denote many types of Faeries and spiritual beings such as ghosts.

Appearances[]

Gallery[]

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