Springtail, NOT Booklouse
(05/09/2008) PLEASE HELP!
Please help me figure out what these bugs are!  I recently moved from NY to NC and was warned that there are alot of bugs down here - I just didnt thing I would be dealing with them so quickly!  I moved into a new-build house about a week ago and the day before yesterday noticed these tiny tiny little blackish bugs on my laundry room floor.  I now also have them along the back wall in my kitchen.  Upon inspection of my patio, which is on the other side of that wall, I was appalled to find hundreds of these bugs.  They do not fly and they stay on the floor - they dont crawl up on table legs, walls, cabinets etc.  I initially thought, after looking through your site, that they might be springtails but these bugs do not jump like people were saying springtails do. Please help me find out what these are and how to get rid of them - the bug spray i bought did nothing!  I am getting the weeby-geebies!! Thank you! 
Jodi



Ed. Note: We incorrectly identified these Springtails as Booklice, but then the following letter arrived and corrected our error.

Correction: (05/26/2008) not a book louse
After looking closely, I think that your book louse is a collembola. ... at the top of the page, the dark bug facing left on a white background. I think this because I'm looking at both under a scope at the moment. Check out the antennae - lots of medium-length segments, like a collembola, rather than a short scape and long thin flagellum like a book louse - and the shape of the head, which seems much more like a collembola as it is not wider at the base than the tip, the way a book louse is. FWIW,
Liz D.  (small bug newbie)

Springtails
(02/02/2008) Bugs
Dear Bugman,
From searching on your site I believe the bugs I saw last week on Mt. Tamalpais, here in Marin County are springtails. They were clustered in a band about a foot wide in a circle about 8 feet in diameter. I took a short video clip that shows them springing about. If you can confirm the ID I’d appreciate it. Thank you,
Rick Wachs



Hi Rick,
You are absolutely correct. These are Springtails. We are not sure what family, genus or species however.

Elongate Bodied Springtail
(01/30/2008) Need bug ID please
I've been doing reptile rescue/rehab for close to 30 years now.  I've seen every mite, springtail, tick etc there probably is in snake enclosures.  However today, I found a film of "dust" floating on the surface (none sank that I could see) of a baby Amazon tree boa's water bowl. The enclosed photo is of  2 specks of the "dust" at 1600x plus whatever the zoom of my digital camera might have added.   I can't find any good photos of larvae stages of various mite species.  Plus it only has 6 legs.  The only other "bug" I regularly see in the snake cages other than springtails and occasionally reptile mites is some type of very small fly that dies off when the cages are dry but come back when they stay damp for a few days or when bowels move or when a snake sheds, they stick around till the shed dries. (We lovingly refer to these flies as "shed flies".  We use permetherin to kill off mite infestations.  Permetherin does not kill these flies ...anyway, that's another topic.  What is this little bug the larvae, pupa or adult stage of?   Any idea? I observed the one on the right sloughing.  It appears the one on the left had already sloughed.  I can see them a lot better directly through the microscope than you can see in the photos.  Sorry about that.  It's the best I can do with the equipment I have. Thanks
Brett Gardin



Hi Brett,
This is one of the Elongate Bodied Springtails in the suborder Arthropleona. In our humble opinion, this is Podura aquatica, which, according to BugGuide is: "Semi-aquatic. Often found floating on the surface of small bodies of standing water such as ponds, as well as on stream and pond banks."

Globular Springtails
(12/29/2007) What are these?
Taken today (12/29/07) in SE CT in woodsy area on my daughters swingset.  A warmer day where all the snow is melting.  Picture is taken with 1:1 macro so very small - couldn't even tell how many legs with the naked eye.  There's thousands and thousands of them on the swingset on the wood, slides, etc.  Thought they were ticks at first and was very worried about Lyme's disease, but they're not ticks, right?  Know what they are and if they're harmful? Thanks,
Justin Montgomery



Hi Justin,
We have gotten many images of Springtails to our site, and countless letters, but this is the first photo we have received of Globular Springtails in the suborder Symphypleona. They match images on BugGuide of Dicyrtomina ornata. Springtails can be very numerous, and are more of an annoyance than a threat. Springtails are primitive, minute wingless insects. Most species feed on molds, decaying vegetation and fungus. Some species are found on the surface of the snow and are called Snow Fleas.

Springtail
(10/13/2007) Scorpion Tank Infestation Help
Hi Bugman,
I was hoping you would be able to help me out with these critters. I am the proud owner of several great species of scorpions, and today, under closer inspection of my Pandinus imperator tank I found these nearly microscopic specs crawling on the glass. My first reactions was "oh great, lice/mites" and I was about to disassemble the entire tank and whatnot for cleaning, but I thought I would have a closer look as a pair of crickets in the tank were happily munching away on these tiny critters. Under a microscope they look very unusual, and I cannot figure out if they are lice, mites, or very newly born crickets. The closest thing I've found on your site are booklice, but I can't figure out why my tank would be infested with them. If you could help identify these I would very much appreciate it. Thanks,
Blanton A.



Hi Blanton,
This is a Springtail. Springtails are minute, primitive insects. Over 2000 species of Springtails have been identified worldwide. Your specimen appears to resemble an image on BugGuide identified as a species in the genus Ceratophysella and Family Hypogastruridae. It was found associated with leaf litter. The Springtails will not harm your Scorpions.

Springtail
(07/07/2007) tiny bug all over bathroom
Hi,
I've had this little bug pop up in my bathroom this spring/summer in middle TN. They are very tiny, no more than a 16th of an inch, possibly a little smaller. They tend to crawl around, but have the ability to jump an inch or two quickly across the ground if they think they are threatened (sort of like a flea, but sticking to whatever surface they were on to begin with). In fact I thought they might be fleas at first as they seem to be about the same size, but upon closer inspection, do not move like fleas. I'm pretty sure they are elsewhere in the house, but they show up in the bathroom easiest due to the white floors and walls. I usually see 5 - 10 a night if I look for them, and I've found them on the walls as well as the floors and in the tub. Any clue what they are and how to remove them? The photo is a crop taken with a macro lens, to try and get enough detail for  identification. Any help will be most appreciated, thanks!
Chris



Hi Chris,
This is a Springtail, a primitive insect that is generally associated with damp places. The species that often infests homes is Willowsia buski. It is found in bathrooms, basements and under kitchen sinks. BugGuide has additional photos, and we would bet that your Springtail stands a very good chance of being Willowsia buski. Nice detailed photo by the way.

Springtails
(03/07/2007) A million little critters
I noticed these "patches" of pinkish little things over the surface of our swim pool the middle of this February. I have lived in this house for over 20 years...never seen this before. The location is on the Central coast of California, San Luis Obispo. The size of the creatures are about 1 to 1.5 mm Any thoughts??
John



Hi John,
These are Springtails, minute insects that are found in large aggregations. They are often associated with swimming pools. Perhaps the drought this year has led them to your pool if they have never congregated there before. Springtails need moisture to survive, and they flourish under the proper conditions.

Springtails
(01/29/2007) What are These Larvae?
Greetings...
Can you please tell me what these are? They appeared overnight, gathered like bubbles in little puddles, on my stone walk after a rain. Are they something that needs immediate attention? There are so many of them! I have cats who like to drink from the puddles, if I let them. Are they a major pest? How can I get rid of them? Thank you,
Dee Press
Camarillo, CA USA



Hi Dee,
These insects are adult Springtails in the order Collembola. Springtails are minute numerous insects that are found in conjunction with moisture. They can get very plentiful. They will not harm your cat.

Snow Fleas
(01/24/2007)
Thanks for posting the pictures and letters on Spring Tails. Similar to one of your readers we saw these little guys on Christmas day in Oregon and have been stumped for a month trying to determine what they are. Here are two more pictures we took that you can publish. The Douglas fir needle gives you a little bit of scale.
-Kevin Joyce



Hi Kevin,
We are glad to hear our site assisted you in the identification of your Snow Fleas, a type of Springtail that can be very plentiful on warm winter days.

Springtail
(01/01/2007) Very Little Bugs
Hi,
I'm wondering if you could tell me what kind of bug this is. There are quite a few of these little bugs on the concrete in my basement. I have noticed quite a few spiders where I see these bugs. So I have started leaving the spiders. These bugs are very small. The specs around the bug in the picture are the specs in the concrete. Any help on what they are, why I have them, and/or how to control or get rid of them would be great! Oh yea, I live in Dayton Ohio. Thanks,
Brad



Hi Brad,
This is a Springtail. Springtails are minute flightless, primitive insects in the order Collembola. Various species adapt to many types of environments and they are often found in moist areas in large numbers.

Snow Fleas
(12/26/2006) Help! Thousands of Tiny Purple Bugs!
Hi-
We live in Oregon and have recently been invaded by literally thousands of these tiny what look like purple bugs. They seem to cluster together in piles, mostly hiding out of the rain, but sometimes in the puddles themselves. At this point only outside. Here are a few photos. Any ideas? Any help would be appreciated. It's quite the mystery. Thanks,
Jordan Wand



Hi Jordan,
These are most certainly a type of Springtail known in the singular as a Snow Flea. These minute dark blue flea-like insects form large aggregations in the winter months and are sometimes found on the surface of snow on warm days. They are found in leaf litter and holes in the soil and are believed to feed on pollen.

Springtails
(12/23/2006) Tiny red specks
This winter has been exceptionally warm in the Atlanta, Georgia USA area, so some bugs may be hatching out of season. This morning I looked outside to see my back cement patio covered in what I thought was a fine mist of water...millions of tiny specks. Then I noticed that the rug at the back door had a small red pile on it as if someone had spilled half a bottle of paprika or chili powder....I looked closer to notice that it was moving - these little specks were tiny insects - so tiny that I couldn't see any legs. They couldn't have been any bigger than a grain of salt but there were literally millions of them. They were a rusty-red color. Any idea what they were? I didn't get a picture because I was afraid my dogs would track them into the house so I hosed them off of the back patio immediately. Oh yeah, one more thing I forgot about - the bugs jumped like fleas...maybe they WERE fleas but I've never seen any that tiny and have never seen a pile of them like that.
Blaine

Hi Blaine,
The jumping and aggregation leads us to believe you have Springtails.

Thanks for the quick response- today (just a few minutes ago, actually) I went out and looked for them and found just a couple of them crawling around - again, these are so tiny - about the size of a pinhead...maybe smaller. I was able to get some pictures. I had to put a magnifying glass in front of my camera because even my camera's macro mode wasn't good enough to get a picture. Do these look like springtails (images attached)?



Hi again Blaine,
This is definitely a photo of a Springtail.

Springtails: Snow Fleas
(12/01/2006) piles of tiny insects in my driveway
What are these things???
There are several piles of millions of tiny moving insects in several places in my driveway. They are a dark grayish, brownish color. They are oblong and have visible antennae. At first, I thought they were piles of dirt.until I noticed they were moving. I can't find anything on the Web. Help! Thanks,
Charlie



Hi Charlie,
Springtails in the order Collembola, are minute insects often found in large numbers. These are probably Snow Fleas, Achorutes nivicola, a type of Springtail that is found in the winter, often on top of the snow on warm sunny days.

Marine Springtail: Anurida maritima
(11/22/2006) Tidal bugs
Hello,
This summer I was on vacation on the island of Vinalhaven off the coast of Maine. While exploring the wonderful tidal pools there, my family and I discovered little clumps of blue-grey bugs who would utilize the surface tension of the water and hang out on top of it. They would move across the surface of the water by clutching each other and rearranging themselves. It was certainly not a very efficient or graceful way of moving, but it was mesmerizing to watch! They would occasionally reach the edge of the tidal pool and walk around on the rocks, but they would always end up back in the water again shortly. I could not tell whether they preferred being in the water or were just very clumsy. I'm guessing that they are either larvae or nymphs of something--but beyond that, I have no idea! Any thoughts on what these charming little creatures could be? Thank you,
Julia



Hi Julia,
We were struck by the resemblance of your unknown (to us) creatures to a type of Springtail known as the Snow Flea, a primitive insect. We googled "Springtail, marine" and were lead to a fascinating description of a surface dwelling species named Anurida maritima. Typing that into the search engine lead us to a positive identification of your creature on a UK website that states: "Anurida maritima is abundant and primarily limited to the upper intertidal zone. It can be found in large clusters of 20-100's wandering over rocks in search of food or floating on the surface film of upper shore rock pools (only when the water is still). This species retreats into rocky crevices, or shelters under weeds during high tide: retreating one hour before the tide begins to rise." We then found a reference on a Maine website that translates the scientific name as "wingless one who goes to sea."

Springtail
(07/12/2006) good pic of springtail (I think)
After reviewing your excellent site, I'm sure we found springtails. My wife has noticed them in several rooms of house and we wondered what these tiny, tiny bugs were. See attached photo taken on a slightly textured plaster wall. [The image was taken with a ProScope USB digital microscope, 50x lens, LED-illuminated, attached to my Mac Book Pro. My guess is that you have one of these scopes, but if not, I highly recommend it! Great for kids to explore bugs and other things. http://www.theproscope.com/about.html] Man, these springtails can move FAST, though! Apparently they are harmless enough, but I hope their presence is not indicative that some portion of the house structure is wet. Brad Price
Souderton, PA



Hi Brad,
Thanks for the tip on the ProScope as well as the photo of the Springtail.

Springtail
(06/18/2006) Unknown bug everywhere
I hope you can help me figure out what is the name of this bug. I'm worried because they've suddenly appeared in different parts of my house. I started out seeing them on the first floor, by the stairs coming up from the finished basement. Now I'm also seeing them upstairs on the second floor, on the ceiling of the loft and on pieces of paper on my computer desk. They've also been seen on the floor along the wall in the kitchen. They're not very big, ranging from extremely tiny to small. I had to use the macro lens on my camera to get a decent picture. One picture is of one that I found on a sheet of paper on my desk that I killed. The other two were of another one walking along the loft ceiling. The two bugs look a little different but the antenna look the same. The dead one has the long things coming out of the tail end, which reminded me of a silverfish, but the live one did not. They also kind of smear like a silverfish if you kill them. Please help! I'm worried that they might be damaging the house or something. They've just started appearing in the last month or so.
Dave B, in Virginia



Hi Dave,
This is one of the over 2000 species of Springtail in the order Collembola. Most species, though a nuisance when they get plentiful, are benign, feeding on mold, decaying vegetation and algae. Algae feeders are often found in pools. Though they aren't harmful, they might be symptomatic of a mold problem.

Springtails
(11/13/2005)
These springtails were in a water dish in my hermit crab tank. They maybe still in the larva stage and thought you’d enjoy the image.
Regards,
Wade Fulp



Hi Wade,
What a wonderful and artful photograph. We are thrilled to post it.

Springtail
(10/09/2005) Can you tell us what this is?
Hello,
Can you please tell us what this bug is? My Aunt is freaking out. I thought it was a flea. She thinks that it is a springtail. Any help to resolve this?
THank YOu,
Suzanne



Hi Suzanne,
We think you owe your Aunt dinner since she won the bet. According to Eric Eaton, this is a highly magnified Springtail.

Springtail Link
(07/09/2005)Found Springtails in tub ! I keep finding these bugs in the bathtub and bathroom sinks of our new house in Dallas Texas. I cant seem to get rid of them.  I searched the net to determine what but is it.  From your website, I am fairly certain it is a Springtail.   Thank you for having this cool website.... only one problem, your HTML code is full of bugs.   A lot of info on Springtails to add to your site. Here is a link I found all about Springtails , the small bugs that I found in my bathtub. http://www.bugspray.com/article/springtail.html
Thanks,
Michael in DALLAS TEXAS



Thanks Michael. Our readers will appreciate this.

Springtails
(07/09/2005) Can you identify this bug
This bug has invaded our new home. Mostly by the sink. Do you know what it is? Thanks for your help. This bug baffles me? What is this bug? Its in my sink right now and its only about an 1/8 of an inch big if that.
The Long Family



Dear Long Family,
Wow, three letters in a row in rapid succession. Guess you want instant gratification. You have Springtails. They often infest drains, pools and jacuzis.

Ainsley's Springtail
(06/24/2005) What is this bug.
Hi, I have attached these few good images I could get of this bug. I have these near a door in my house. They a hairy and hop a few inches (2-5) at a time. And sometimes, they just walk around. Can you please tell me what they are and if I should be worried?
Thanks,
Jon
Belleville, IL



Hi Jon,
You have Springtails, most likely Ainsley's Springtail, Orchesella ainsliei. They inhabit leaf litter, soil and fungi as well as wet vegetation. It ranges from New York to Iowa according to the Audubon Guide. In the spring, it often appears in great numbers. They might be a nuisance, but they are harmless, feeding on juices from decaying plant material.

Springtails
(06/15/2005) Can you identify this bug for me?
Hi,
I live in northern New Jersey. I moved into this new construction site, and I didn't expect to have a such bugs problem from new house. I lived here since last September. I spotted this bug once or twice over winter, but it is out of control right now. I probably see 20-30 of them in windows frame and wall. They are crawling on wall and when I try to catch it, it can move very fast like roach. Sizes are very small, less than 1mm. Adults are between 1-2mm at most.  Most of them are gray but I saw darker gray to black one as well. I sprayed "RAID Ant & Roach" on windows area. According to RAID, it can kill bugs upon contact upto 4 weeks. After I sprayed various area, I saw those creatures again next day and crawling around. It seems like their claims had failed or this bugs are immune to RAID's active ingredient.  By the way, I live in WALK-OUT Basement which means it's in ground level. I am sending you two pictures I just took. It is picture of adult bug which was roughly 2 mm. Thanks in advance.
Jimmy K.



Hi Jimmy,
You have Springtails. They can get very numerous if the conditions are right. They thrive in damp weather.

Springtails
(06/12/2005) Bug ID help
Can you help me Id this insect?
size: 2-3mm Characteristics: it jumps when touch.  Found in sink and water areas. I live in Solano county, california
Thanks
Michael J. Nguyen



Hi Michael,
We often get descriptions of Springtails, but we never get images of the tiny guys. Thank you for your awesome shot. Springtails can get very numerous in wet areas. Your image looks like probably Isotoma viridis which is very widespread. The elongated body is distinctive.

Springtails
(02/06/2005) Just found you on Google
Hi there.  I'm up near Burlington, VT, and came home late this morning to hundreds of these little critters all over my wood-sided garage.  They're about 2mm long and hop when provoked! Are these things eating my house?  Do I call the Orkin man??  The CDC?  The Croc Hunter?
-Rob



Hi Rob,
It is difficult to be certain based on the photo, but considering that they hop, we are guessing Springtails. They are relatively benign, but can appear in great numbers to suddenly dissappear again until conditions are favorable again.

(05/10/2004) Springtails in the Swimming Pool!
I have springtails in my swimming pool. I was hoping that after covering the pool for the season, and reopening it in the spring, they would have died over the winter. But low and behold, the swimming pool is still full of live spring tails which seem to congregate in the corners of the pool, between the water line and the tiles.
I can't believe they survived such a harsh winter! I'm so frustrated, and last year I tried just about everything from spraying pesticides around the pool, to shocking it,,,, nothing worked. I've read that spraying the tiles with diluted soap ( dawn ) helps temorarily.
my question is this - do you think they will go away, if i empty the pool, acid wash it... let it dry for a while, then fill it again . spray the tiles in the interim and then fill it again.
thank you for your help.

Since Springtails seem to be a big problem with swimming pools, you might want to check with your local pool shop for erradication advice. They do not appear to be harmed by cold weather, and one type is even known by the common name of Snow Flea. They do tend to by cyclical, multiplying when conditions are favorable, and declining at other times. I don't know if emptying your pool will help.

Springtails
(05/03/2004) Can Silverfish hop?
First, I'd like to compliment your site - very well done and informative!  
My husband and I have a recent infestation in our bathroom of a small bug that we thought could be Silverfish.  After reading your page on Silverfish and looking at the photo, however, I'm not certain that this is what we have.  
These bugs are about 1/8 of an inch long, have antennae on the front and shorter antennae on the back - as best as I can tell there are only two on the back end.  They have lighter colored stripes running horizontally across a very thin body.  And these bugs hop, as much as about a foot.  We find that they congregate near water - especially under and around wet flip flops worn in the shower.  Could these be Silverfish?  Or are they another bug?  
Thanks for any help you may be able to give,
Julia Bell
Columbia, SC

Hi Julia,
There is a relative of the silverfish known as the Jumping Bristletail, Family Machilidae, but my money is on a type of Springtail, Order Collembola.  They like damp areas and can get quite numerous. 

Thanks for your quick response!  And thanks for what seems to be the right diagnosis.  Now we'll get to work on getting rid of these guys!
My husband and I are very impressed with your website - our new "house and garden field guide."  
All the best,
Julia Bell  

(12/21/2003)  Soil Problems
Hi, Bugman. I'm writing in regards to an insect problem I have with a few of my houseplants. In two of my larger pots, I have what appear to be extremely small mobile grains of rice crawling through the dirt. I would have attached pictures, but I couldn’t get a decent closeup. After searching around on the net, I suspect they could be mealy bugs, but all of the pages I viewed describe mealy bugs in conjunction with African Violets. Citing a website dedicated to homemade pesticides, I concocted a dish soap/jalapeno juice solution to spray them with, and minutes after using it, I discovered what appear to be miniature white night-crawlers swarming to the surface for air. The plants that are infected with all of these bugs aren’t having any problems growing at all. In fact, my ficus tree is among the most forgiving, as he’s been moved several times, and he doesn’t seem to care where he is, as long as he’s got bright light. I’m not sure what to do about the bugs, however, and if you could help, I’d greatly appreciate it.
Jace

Hi again. I sent you an email earlier about tiny white bugs in the soil of some of my plants. I managed to get a picture of two of them for better i.d. I can't find my jewelers lupe to magnify them. Let me know.
Thanks again.

Dear Jace,
While it is impossible to be perfectly accurate based on your amusing photograph, I will venture an educated guess. My money is on the maggots of a Black Gnat, Bradysia impatiens. This is a type of root gnat from the Family Sciaridae. The adults are the tiny black gnats that flit in your face while you are watching television and that always seem to get stuck in fresh paint, writes Hogue. He continues "The larva lives in decaying plant material, such as compost, peat, and sphagnum; it also commonly infests the roots and stems of various herbaceous plants. The insects may develop in the media used for potted plants, which explains its mysterious appearance indoors."

Hmm. That's a good guess, but I can make out legs on these. I found my lupe at work, so when I get home, I'll attempt another photo shoot.
Thanks for your time. :)
Jace

Beetle grubs can often be found in soil and they have tiny legs. Perhaps it is a species of flea beetle or a weevil. It would be nearly impossible to make an exact identification based on a photo.

Thank you so much for the input. They don't seem to be hurting the plants, but I just wanted to know if I should start a program of mass annihilation. This picture is probably going to be the best I'll get of one of the little farts. Beetle grubs? Wouldn't there be adults all over too? These pots have had these bugs for a while, one of them I can remember as far back as March of 2002 having these in it. Oh well, thanks again for all of your time, and keep up the great work on the website; its been severely educational.
Jace

Ed. Note: Before we could even respond to this photo, Jace sent the following proper I.D. from a website.

(12/26/2003) Bugs: Discovered!
I have scoured the internet for these bugs, and I believe I have identified them! Thanks to you and the Missouri State University Entomology Department, not only have I IDed the first insect, I found out that I have two different species living in my plants. The first one (that I kept sending pictures of) are Onychurius pseudofimetarius. These did not jump and moved slowly so as to be the only ones I could catch.
 

Onychurius pseudofimetarius
Onychiurus pseudofimetarius is eyeless, and has an unpigmented, translucent white body. The body shape is fusiform, or torpedo like, the antenna are not longer than the head, and there is no apparent furcula. It lacks spines on the tip of the abdomen, a feature which distinguishes this species from Onychiurus ramosus #362. (Family: Onychiruidae)
 
After digging around more in my plants, I captured that much more active, hard as hell to catch version called Isotoma nigrifrons.
 
Family: Isotomidae
This group typically has neither scales nor a furry appearance. The third and fourth abdominal segments are about equal in length along the middle of the back or are about the same size as the other abdominal segments. The third antennal segment is not considerably longer than the fourth.

Isotoma nigrifrons
 
These bad boys were very fast, and jumped like fleas, so I wasn’t able to catch any before. A Q-Tip dipped in Raid ant killer was used to get one to slow down long enough for inspection. That’s when I found his distinct furcula, and was able to identify him and his cousin as springtails, or part of the Collembola family.
 
I’ve never been really all that interested in entomology, but If I didn’t find out what these were, it was going to drive me insane! At least you’ll know what they are if anyone else decides to ask you after staring at their potted soil and noticing minute ecologies living there.
Jace

Awesome sleuthing Jace. Here is some additional information. From Essig: "Springtails inhabit moist localities and are found in rotten logs, wet leaf mold, and in the soil where the immature stages live mostly hidden from the light." Essig call Onychiurus pseudarmatus the Seed Springtail, and writes it "is a shite slender species 3mm. long and with the antennae shorter than the head. It has proven to be a pest by destroying germinating purple vetch seed in Humboldt County, California." Hogue states that these ancient and primitive insects "are among the most numerous of animals found in the soil and are also commonly encountered in compost piles and grass cuttings, in turf, under flower pots, in cellars, or among stored plant bulbs -- wherever it is humid and dark." I have a great book, The Encyclopedia of Natural Insect & Disease Control by Roger B. Yepsen, Jr. that recommends an infusion of garlic in water to help rid the soil of springtails. Try crushing the garlic in water and letting it sit before watering your houseplants.

(5/12/03)This just happened recently with the oncoming of Spring I think. I recently moved into my apartment a few months ago. I have seen no sign of bugs in my house, except for fire beetles, which really don't upset me, they are in the trees outside of my bedroom window and are natives to the area. I had some plant insect spray that took care of them, I haven't seen any in my house since.
But just the last few weeks, there are little bugs in my bathtub, about the size of small black ants, if not smaller. This bothers me. I have been spraying them with insect spray, they will go away for a short period, but then there will be more in there. I sprayed some of the insect spray down the drain. When I spray them, they hop, they don't fly. They don't have the ability to seem to fly, but they can jump a fairly large distance for their size. I have a window that is in the wall of my shower/bathtub and I am wondering if they are coming from the outside. When I sprayed the cracks of the window they seemed to be gone for a few days, but just today and the day before they seem to be back. There are usually two or three of them just crawling around in the bathtub. Whatever they are, I don't like them and I was wondering if they are baby roaches or something. I am in Salt Lake City, don't know if they are some native mite to the area. Our building is made of brick. I am in an apartment building. The landlords are neat freaks that do inspections for cleanliness, so I don't think that anyone would stand for roaches here. The building is older though. There is no bugs in my kitchen area or the rest of the house. I did noticed that the window is facing the same side as my bedroom window where the trees are that the fire beetles were getting in, they live on that tree out there. It also faces that tree. But in any case, I am trying to kill them or get rid of them. Do you have any tips for me?
Thank you,
Tamara Wright

Dear Tamara,
You might have springtails, order Collembola, which are minute insects, less than 1/8 inch long, that according to Hogue, "derive their name from the curious method of locomotion of many species, in which the furcula, a tail like appendage on the underside of the abdomen, is extended and snaps against the substratum, propelling the insect upward." They are usually. seen in a group, and resemble fleas when they spring into motion by sudden exposure to light. They like damp places, are common in lawns, in the soil, in grass clippings and compost piles, wherever it is damp and humid.