Pest identification help!
I have a bunch of little silver bugs in the soil of a handful of my plants. I’m not sure if it’s thrips or springtails…? Or fungus gnat larva? I’m leaning towards springtails but I haven’t seen many of them jump. Hoping it’s springtails since those aren’t harmful!
They’ve been there for at least 3 weeks now. I do have some gnats flying around but not enough to match the quantity of these little bugs.
They’re really isolated to the soil/haven’t found any on the leaves. I put a yellow sticky trap under the drainage hole of one of the affected plants and caught a bunch - used the 60x magnifier to get these pics.
#pestID #PestControl #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #bugbattles
They’ve been there for at least 3 weeks now. I do have some gnats flying around but not enough to match the quantity of these little bugs.
They’re really isolated to the soil/haven’t found any on the leaves. I put a yellow sticky trap under the drainage hole of one of the affected plants and caught a bunch - used the 60x magnifier to get these pics.
#pestID #PestControl #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #bugbattles
12
Best Answer
@SophieN those are springtails.
Because of their moisture levels, indoor growing spaces are particularly susceptible to springtail infestations. In hydroponic growing systems, the pests will cluster at the edge of grow-tank and in exposed root crowns of plants. Careful periodic inspections and removal can help keep populations down.
While it’s often claimed that springtails do little noticeable damage, they will feed on roots and moist plant matter, causing “leaf stipling” (yellowing) and cause other harm to growth and vigor. Still, many growers choose to tolerate them rather than treat them. If you choose to co-exist with them, make sure you’ve positively identified them and aren’t mistaking them for some pest like spider mites that can cause extensive damage.
Wipe up pest colonies around the rims of trays, near drains and other damp places in your grow space. Large colonies on floors or on stands can be vacuumed with a shop-vac.
If springtails have become such a nuisance they must be sprayed, use an OMRI listed for organic production compound such as azadirachtin, an antifeedant and insect growth regulator (IGR) that controls pests through starvation and growth disruption.
Potted Plants (Soil)
Springtails enter homes through window screens, open doors and windows, vent pipes or in potted plants. They are attracted to indoor moisture, especially as the outdoors dries. They may be attracted to light, entering through windows, under doors or through cracks in the foundation.
Keep springtails away from your home by keeping leaves, grass and other organic matter away from the foundation. Fill every crack the foundation may have, even beneath the soil line as possible. Make sure seals around windows and doors are tight.
Use crawling insect killers with diatomaceous earth to repel the pests around places where they might enter.
Springtails frequently occur in the soil of potted plants. Inspect the potting mixture of every plant you intend to bring home by testing it with your thumbs and watching for springing. Lichen or other soil covers that are organic food sources for the pests should be examined carefully. Be especially cautious if plants show signs of excess moisture. If you suspect insect activity, quarantine house plants, preferably outside, to allow the soil to completely dry before bringing them in.
Letting soil dry completely as possible is the best way to deal with infested pots already in the home.
Sprinkle Safer Brand diatomaceous earth on potted soils to help them dry and to repel springtails.
If infestations in potted plants persist, use a non-toxic, biodegradable soil drench to kill and repel the bugs. (More than one application may be required.)
After a hot day, they may congregate on the side of a building in tremendous numbers, increasing the chance of indoor infestation. If you spot an infestation inside or out, use a wet -dry shop-vac with a small amount of soapy water in its collection tank to vacuum them up.
Use fans to thoroughly dry any area of the house, including inside walls (as possible) where springtails have been found. Repair roof leaks, cracks in siding and any other places where moisture might enter the house.
Keep areas around sink faucets and drains clear and clean of molds and other growth that might used as a food source. Remove scum and hair from beneath sink drains. If you suspect springtails in your drain pipes, clean as thoroughly as possible and rinse them with vinegar. (Never pour any type of pesticide down a drain.)
House plant soil, especially those with lichen or moss, can be a hotbed of springtail reproduction. Inspect any potted houseplants you buy for signs of infestation before bringing them inside. Once inside the house, don’t over water. Allowing soil to dry completely between watering discourages them from staying around.
Because of their moisture levels, indoor growing spaces are particularly susceptible to springtail infestations. In hydroponic growing systems, the pests will cluster at the edge of grow-tank and in exposed root crowns of plants. Careful periodic inspections and removal can help keep populations down.
While it’s often claimed that springtails do little noticeable damage, they will feed on roots and moist plant matter, causing “leaf stipling” (yellowing) and cause other harm to growth and vigor. Still, many growers choose to tolerate them rather than treat them. If you choose to co-exist with them, make sure you’ve positively identified them and aren’t mistaking them for some pest like spider mites that can cause extensive damage.
Wipe up pest colonies around the rims of trays, near drains and other damp places in your grow space. Large colonies on floors or on stands can be vacuumed with a shop-vac.
If springtails have become such a nuisance they must be sprayed, use an OMRI listed for organic production compound such as azadirachtin, an antifeedant and insect growth regulator (IGR) that controls pests through starvation and growth disruption.
Potted Plants (Soil)
Springtails enter homes through window screens, open doors and windows, vent pipes or in potted plants. They are attracted to indoor moisture, especially as the outdoors dries. They may be attracted to light, entering through windows, under doors or through cracks in the foundation.
Keep springtails away from your home by keeping leaves, grass and other organic matter away from the foundation. Fill every crack the foundation may have, even beneath the soil line as possible. Make sure seals around windows and doors are tight.
Use crawling insect killers with diatomaceous earth to repel the pests around places where they might enter.
Springtails frequently occur in the soil of potted plants. Inspect the potting mixture of every plant you intend to bring home by testing it with your thumbs and watching for springing. Lichen or other soil covers that are organic food sources for the pests should be examined carefully. Be especially cautious if plants show signs of excess moisture. If you suspect insect activity, quarantine house plants, preferably outside, to allow the soil to completely dry before bringing them in.
Letting soil dry completely as possible is the best way to deal with infested pots already in the home.
Sprinkle Safer Brand diatomaceous earth on potted soils to help them dry and to repel springtails.
If infestations in potted plants persist, use a non-toxic, biodegradable soil drench to kill and repel the bugs. (More than one application may be required.)
After a hot day, they may congregate on the side of a building in tremendous numbers, increasing the chance of indoor infestation. If you spot an infestation inside or out, use a wet -dry shop-vac with a small amount of soapy water in its collection tank to vacuum them up.
Use fans to thoroughly dry any area of the house, including inside walls (as possible) where springtails have been found. Repair roof leaks, cracks in siding and any other places where moisture might enter the house.
Keep areas around sink faucets and drains clear and clean of molds and other growth that might used as a food source. Remove scum and hair from beneath sink drains. If you suspect springtails in your drain pipes, clean as thoroughly as possible and rinse them with vinegar. (Never pour any type of pesticide down a drain.)
House plant soil, especially those with lichen or moss, can be a hotbed of springtail reproduction. Inspect any potted houseplants you buy for signs of infestation before bringing them inside. Once inside the house, don’t over water. Allowing soil to dry completely between watering discourages them from staying around.
@BuoyantSandleek this is what they look like to the naked eye, just to better show the size / what it’s like when not magnified (some larger ones but lots of little dots in the middle is what I have magnified)
@TwistedThreads thank you so much!!! Happy they’re springtails and not thrips, I’ll still treat them but not as stressful!
@BuoyantSandleek your kitties are absolutely adorable. They look so so sweet! Louie and Zuzu are pretty good about not chewing plants - I stuck to all pet safe my first few months as a plant owner, then slowly got some non pet safe ones. I learned they don’t do well with ponytail palms (they go out of their way to play with it bc it looks like a toy to them!) and parler palms, but everything else they pretty much leave alone! Here’s a pic of Zuzu attacking my ponytail palm, and Louie trying to get to the shelf that I got to keep the ponytail out of their way! (And Zu conquering the shelf after I had to give the ponytail palm away)
