Springtails appear just about everywhere in. Areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, and damp basements are likely spots to find these creatures. Size: Tiny insects, most being about one-sixteenth of an inch in length. Why do I have them?Īlthough Springtails typically reside in soil outdoors they will invade homes where humid conditions are present. Inside homes, they are commonly found around window sills damaged by moisture, or around showers, tubs, and sink areas.Īlthough they occur in a range of colors, to the naked eye they may simply appear as a very small grayish speck that moves, or “jumps.” While a springtail cannot actually jump with any of its six legs, it gets its name from an appendage (resembling a tail) that is used to hurl the springtail into the air and away from predators when it is feeling threatened. Tiny and soft-bodied, the Springtail ranges in size from 1mm to 6mm and tends to dwell in soil, leaf litter and other humid areas. Get their name from their ability to spring into. Insecticide sprays inside the home are not recommended or necessary.Springtails, or Collembola, are closely related to insects but are in a group of 6 legged arthropods now considered apart from insects. Often confused with fleas, although they do not bite humans or pets. They can endure tropical, temperate, freshwater, rainforests, deserts, and in short Everywhere How dangerous are Springtails There is no direct threat from springtails. You can find as many 100,000 springtails in as little as a square foot of area. They flourish in large numbers in a minimal area. They may also enter a building seeking moisture when their outside habitat becomes too dry.įixing water leaks, drying out the affected area, or running a dehumidifier will often eliminate the springtails. Springtails are found in the ants and termites. The moisture may be from a leaky pipe or excessively high humidity. Springtails are the most abundant tiny insects in the world, and are found in huge numbers in moist. Springtails are soft-bodied pests and appear. Adams Pest Control Gets Rid of Springtail Fast.

Springtails are a species of hexapod - a close relative of insects. Springtails inside a home or building generally suggest some kind of moisture problem. Fleas are insects and springtails are not. Photo: Drees, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Management Springtails come in a huge variety of shapes and colors and can live in soil or water, but they’re all no more than 1/8 in size (which would be a big one). This is a Globular Springtail, one of the more than 8,000 species of springtails worldwide. Collembola and insects share a common ancestor. This cute, almost cartoon-like, creature is a common bug you’ve probably never even noticed. Springtails usually occur in the soil, but may also be found under potted plants, and decaying vegetable matter. A soil-dwelling poduromorph springtail, North Island of New Zealand. Kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms are common springtail habitats. Springtails and bristletails are no longer considered to be insects and are classified in the arthropod sub-phylum hexapoda. When springtails move into a home, they usually go into areas where they can find moisture. Many homeowners think these tiny, jumping insects are fleas. Infestations in buildings are usually associated with dampness, organic matter, and mold. When springtails invade, homeowners often mistake them for something else. Springtails will target those areas in your home where there’s maximum water usage. When the weather outdoors becomes too hot and dry, springtails will look for mild places and moist areas to live. Springtail bugs are harmless bugs that enter homes during the peak of the summer months. They may occasionally be a nuisance in bathrooms, kitchens, and basements. The tiny jumping bugs in the bathroom are springtails. They primarily feed on algae, fungi, pollen, and decaying organic matter and are an important par of soil ecosystems. In a bioactive setup, the springtails work with the isopods to create the perfect clean up. Springtails are amazing little critters that help solve a lot of problems in bioactive setups and terrariums. Breeds well but not nearly as quickly as Folsomia candida. They are whitish or grayish in color and have a forked appendage at the rear that enables them to jump. A larger springtail well suited for bioactive setups, with a pinkish hue. Springtails are very small insects, 1 to 2 millimeters long (1/25th to 1/12th of an inch).