Springtails Explained

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Imagine this: You look at your beloved plant and (gasp!) you see these tiny white oblong bugs scooting or jumping about in the substrate or under the pot. You may even see them moving around on top of the water.

Gross, bugs, right? Wrong. These are most likely springtails which are actually a beneficial bug, one that people even buy to be a “cleanup” crew for vivariums and terrariums. Let’s delve into how to identify these little ones and why they are a good addition instead of a cause for alarm!


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Springtails, which have six legs and hop around, sort of like a microscopic Tigger, are not considered insects - they’re actually a class of their own: Collembola. If you’re curious, the word “Collembola” comes from two Greek words, kolla meaning glue and embola meaning wedge. This interesting moniker is due to the collophore, which is this tube structure located behind the the rear legs that springtails can extend to use as an aid in grooming and to aid in aiming during a jump. Speaking of jumping, the part of the body that is used to help these little ones in “springing” is the forcula, which is on the end of the abdomen. Like the name sounds, this is a forked structure that helps propel the springtail up to 300 body lengths away. Imagine if you could jump that far! Then again you’d have to have a hydraulic stomach fork thing, so maybe not.

Springtails are only about a millimeter long — so really very small. But they have decently long antennae, so you’re likely to be able to see them which can help you identify them.

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Remember how I mentioned how you might see springtails on top of water? Well, that is in thanks to them having a cuticle. This isn’t like the skin around your nails, or any of your skin at that, or that outer part of your hair. This type of cuticle is a hard layer that repels water, which is why you can sometimes see them moving about on top of water foraging or just hanging out.



Photo credit: Bugldy99 on Visualhunt

Photo credit: andybadger on Visualhunt

 

Now, let’s get into what they eat and why they are a good thing to see, and why they can give you some insights on how your plants are doing.

Springtails are detritivores and microbivores, meaning they will eat dead matter such as decaying organic matter (plants, animals, feces), microbes, mold, fungus, etc. So if you have a terrarium or vivarium these are extremely beneficial cleanup crews. The only drawback is that they need to have humidity to survive and thrive, which is why you can find them under pots or in the potting medium of plants that are kept with damp soil or overwatered plants. Which is a perfect segue into talking about how you can use springtails to gauge how well you are taking care of your plants. If you are seeing springtails in the potting medium of plants that are supposed to dry out between waterings, this might be a sign that you are watering too much. It might also be a good time to check that root ball and make sure it is looking okay.


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I personally love having springtails and actually have a few cultures going that I have used to seed terrariums and vivariums. My treefrogs, toads, plant filled terrariums, Otala lactea (milk snail) terrarium, and isopod terrariums all have healthy springtail colonies. Not only do they keep the mold to a nonexistent level and consume fallen leaves, they also help break down the animal’s waste and any leftover food that might be uneaten. Another beneficial aspect to having them is the fact that their waste is incredibly small, but is good for the soil.

So if you are lucky enough to come across some springtails in your plants just remember how helpful they can be!


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If you’re not sure if you have springtails in your plants and want a definite identification, find us on Mesh or Facebook - or if you just want to show off your plants, terrariums, vivariums, to share tips, tricks, and experience with our global community of plant lovers!

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