Exploring the Possibility of Springtails Infestation
Is it a bird, or is it a plane? No, it’s a springtail! That’s right, folks, we have a new superman in town, and it is about 8/100th of an inch in size! Let’s answer the question: how do springtails jump in the blog below?
Springtails are hexapod insects of the class Collembola. There are over 8,200 generic species of springtails classified under hexapods. They are also known as snow fleas because they can survive extremely cold environmental conditions.
These small black jumping bugs have an elongated body, six jointed appendages, and a distinguishing organ at the tip of their body called furca or furcula.
And yes, springtails can jump. These tiny black bugs that bite and jump have been an interesting test subject for entomologists around the world for this very reason.
While we still do not fully understand the mechanism of how they jump, many studies have tried to understand the motion and the mechanics behind it.
Springtails are fond of damp environments and tend to gravitate towards areas that retain moisture in your home, especially during colder months. Employing a dehumidifier can effectively reduce the moisture levels in your house, making it less appealing to these springtails.
Bug Control Recommendation Tool
Do Springtails Jump?
Springtails can do many things, including walking, running, and climbing. But they are best known as tiny black bugs that jump fast.
They have a specialized organ called furca, which you can find in their abdomen (towards the posterior end of their body). This organ helps them jump.
If you are wondering why they need to jump, they most often do it to avoid predators.
How Do Springtails Jump?
But why is the furcula spring-like? Well, that’s still a mystery.
What’s clear is that springtails use almost their entire body to jump; they use the furca, the endoskeleton, the exoskeleton, muscles, and tendons in this process. Talk about coordinated acrobatics!
All body parts work together to make the body optimal for the trajectory motion. However, how exactly the jump happens is not quite clear yet.
When this tiny tan jumping bug is in the resting position, the furca is in a groove along its abdomen. When it wants to jump, the furca extends out, and its spring-like action causes the jump.
The insect compresses its furca like a spring till it reaches a critical point. Then the entire potential energy is converted into kinetic energy in the form of a high jump.
Some studies show that there might be the muscles and the springtail’s endoskeleton responsible for the spring-like property of the furca.
However, other experiments conducted by scientists Brackenbury and Hunt revealed that there is a phenomenon called hemocoel pressurization in the insect’s abdomen, which leads to the jump.
This substance creates a hydraulic force, which in turn creates tension in the outer abdominal plates of the springtail. This tension leads to a spring-like mechanism that helps the insect jump forward in the air.
Do Springtails Fly?
This tiny bug that jumps does not fly, but it does run, walk and even climb. You might get confused between their flight and jump because their jumps are quite spectacular.
Despite being about 8/100th of an inch in size, they can jump a distance of over several inches. That’s like a normal grown man jumping a ten-story building! To an innocent bystander, it sure looks like they are flying.
However, they cannot fly; they don’t have any wings. They are just jumping so high that it looks like they are flying. Springtails can jump both high and far.
Do Springtails Have Wings?
Like many other members of the phylum Arthropoda, springtails do not possess the two sets of wings attached to their thorax, which is necessary for flying. All they have is this amazing ability to jump, and they make the most of it.
Do They Bite?
Springtails do not bite humans. In the odd scenario, when they do bite, they do not cause any irritation to your skin. They love to live in those damp and moist places of your home, under the kitchen sink and in the water pipes, so you probably won’t even see them often. A dehumidifier can help with this.
However, springtails reproduce quickly, so it is possible to get a big infestation if your house is in an area where the air is humid.
Springtails do not damage potted plants but are attracted to organic matter such as leaf litter and moldy wood. Removing these can help you get rid of springtails.
To get rid of springtails, you need to clean near the area of anything that absorbs water, such as litter, wet wood, etc. You need to check your plumbing for leaks so that you don’t give these critters a comfortable home.
You can also call in pest experts, who eliminate adult springtails by vacuuming the walls, especially the damp ones.
They then follow it up by cleaning and drying the walls and floors of your house. You can also spray chemicals to kill adult springtails and their eggs around the house, our non-toxic, pet & children safe alternative is this insecticide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do springtails jump on humans?
If you have a damp house, springtails will inhabit the walls, carpets, and even beds of your house.
But they usually do not jump on humans or bite them. They are not known to infest human skin or damage any furniture in a house.
Do springtails move fast?
Yes, springtails can move fast. They can cover a distance that is almost 100 times their length in one jump. They can do so by using their furcula.
Will springtails ever go away?
Springtails are pests, and removing them from your house is a tedious job. It’s best to seek professional help who might help you fix the moisture level of your house and plumbing and treat the infected area with chemicals, like an essential oil, non-toxic spray.
How do you find a springtail nest?
Springtails do not make any nests for themselves. You can find them in clusters in any moist and damp area of your house or on leaf litter, moist wood and bark of a tree, and under the pots of plants.
Wrap Up
Springtails are nuisance pests that might invade your home but will not cause skin irritations or damage your furniture.
They use their furculum to jump large distances (compared to their size). Scientists have been debating the mechanism of the jump for quite a few years now.
But all of them agree that an elastic element exists at the base of the furcula.
Most studies also agree that the entire body assists the springtail in its unique jumping motion. Thank you for reading about these marvelous creatures, and we hope you learned a bit about how they jump!
Springtails are attracted to damp environments, making them prone to invading houses. To deter their entry into your home, employing this common device is highly effective.
109 Comments. Leave new
I cannot believe no one replied! I am also in search of this answer! Wish I could post a pic but I don’t have a pro camera that zooms in THAT close.
You should look at the photos in our Springtails category. This is a very old posting and there was no photo. See: http://www.whatsthatbug.com/category/springtails/
I have no dog so i knew these were not fleas but they’re really annoying sometimes i feel something crawling on me and i look down and it is a tiny little bug and i smush it sometimes it lives and hops off itz reaoly annoying
I have these annoying things.. mainly because my carpet got a drink knocked over and went all mildew crazy. It seams they favor damp places but i find them jumping all over my computer monitors at times. They almost look like the jump and fly very short distances then jump again.. so it’s pretty similar to your description. Did you ever get a clear answer?
http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/sites/rodalesorganiclife.com/files/fungus-gnat.jpg
I have these annoying things.. mainly because my carpet got a drink knocked over and went all mildew crazy. It seams they favor damp places but i find them jumping all over my computer monitors at times. They almost look like the jump and fly very short distances then jump again.. so it’s pretty similar to your description. Did you ever get a clear answer?
http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/sites/rodalesorganiclife.com/files/fungus-gnat.jpg
I have the same bugs out on my porch my exterminator said spring tails but what ever he sprayed didn’t faze them I’ve sprayed with everytg there still out there .now their in my mail box there’s no wood any where near my mail box .ive looked at all the pictures no way is it any thing I’ve seen there’s no way you could take a picture bc so tiny maybe under a microscope.i live in Tennessee.also I don’t dig up soil around my home all my flowers are in pots someone told me they live in soil and eat mulch ,well that don’t fly either I have rock around my foundation.if anyone finds a name for these flea like bug please email me .thanks peg
For those of you who are getting bit, they’re not springtails. Sounds more like bird mites to me, especially on window sills and eaves of houses. They come from a bird nest nearby and multiply like crazy. And, yes, they do bite! Look them up. There are a few types but the main species are black and/or red when fed with blood meal of primary host (bird) or surrogate host (pets, humans). Prior to feeding, they are yellow, white, or grayish. The ones I’ve seen are almost translucent or skin-colored. They can become a major issue in your house if not treated right away but most pest control companies don’t know very much about them or don’t treat with the right pesticides.
I had never seen these, 5 years ago, but this year, hear they are. I’ve never seen more than one at a time, but it will just appear as if from nowhere. I have some pictures so you can confirm if these are your fake fleas too, but I don’t know how to post them. Can anyone tell me how?
When these appear, they are tiny, less than 1/16 of an inch, maybe less than a 32nd of an inch. They are black, I could tell they had wings except that they would fly, but I couldn’t see them until I took the macro pictures. They also have antenna, and I didn’t see those either. As these bugs crawled, they seemed wiggly, almost worm like, but like a flea, but squished easily, under a finger or thumb. Very fast, sometimes jumped and flew away before I could squish!
I looked at the springtails, before I took these pictures, and thought not, but after seeing the pictures, maybe yeah, I don’t see the spring appendage though, so I’m not sure. In one picture it looks gray or white. I think that must be the flash, but I don’t know. To my eyes it looks black.
Anyway if you’re interested in the pictures, I ticked the notify by email. So shout out and we will figure out how to get them where you can take a look.
I had never seen these, 5 years ago, but this year, hear they are. I’ve never seen more than one at a time, but it will just appear as if from nowhere. I have some pictures so you can confirm if these are your fake fleas too, but I don’t know how to post them. Can anyone tell me how?
When these appear, they are tiny, less than 1/16 of an inch, maybe less than a 32nd of an inch. They are black, I could tell they had wings except that they would fly, but I couldn’t see them until I took the macro pictures. They also have antenna, and I didn’t see those either. As these bugs crawled, they seemed wiggly, almost worm like, but like a flea, but squished easily, under a finger or thumb. Very fast, sometimes jumped and flew away before I could squish!
I looked at the springtails, before I took these pictures, and thought not, but after seeing the pictures, maybe yeah, I don’t see the spring appendage though, so I’m not sure. In one picture it looks gray or white. I think that must be the flash, but I don’t know. To my eyes it looks black.
Anyway if you’re interested in the pictures, I ticked the notify by email. So shout out and we will figure out how to get them where you can take a look.
I have no idwa what the tiny nearly invisible dash jumping bugs are, but I used aphid spray and it killed them pretty well. But they came back with the next rain. When I ran out of aphid spray, I used white vinegar. Killed them instantly.
I’m having the same issue. Hmm… maybe they’re reproducing more this season.
They thrive more during damp conditions.
I have these little guys in my yard and I’m trying to figure out what they are. They are definitely not fleas and don’t seem to bite as far as I know…are these the same critters you guys have?
yes but they don’t bother you so long as there outside all I wanted was what they are and what there called
BUG PICS!!
I’m having the same problem, I think. They get on my dog, and they act very similar to fleas, but they are not fleas. They hop, and bite like a flea does, but they look almost like very tiny ants. And they walk too, I don’t recall ever seeing a flea walk, they usually just hop. And these bugs can be killed by just swatting at them. Unlike fleas, you have to squeeze them really hard to kill them, these bugs you can just swat at them, if they don’t hop away first, and it kills them. I’ve never seen these before. I think my dog is bringing them in the house, I’ve sprayed him down with flea spray and sprayed all my carpets and such, I’m not infested with them, but they are annoying and my dog is scratching like crazy. Any ideas??
Sorry, we can’t think of anything at this moment.
I’ve been getting covered by hundreds of these too when I walk out my front door or stand under the front eves of my house. They do bite. I have felt them and even watched one as it bit my arm. Like a flea would and their tail end curls up a little when they do it. Like an angry ant. I’m in the Northern California Sierra mountains/foothills. I could have sworn I’ve been bitten by a springtail before and now with that many on me at once and many biting at the same time just backed that up. Makes so much sense now after walking through grass so many times and feeling these, no see em, bites. Then seeing a springtail on my leg now and then when and where I felt a bite. We have tons of those little guys here. If you look close you can see hundreds of them for every patio square. I think that there are a lot more bugs that bite than are acknowledged by experts. Just because they may not be biting for blood does not mean they don’t bite. There is a little larval bug here that has bitten my ex and I a number of times. It can even bite with its tail too, runs really fast bacwards, roughly a half inch give or take, no wings or prewings, and definitely not an earwig. Never seen this bug listed as a biter. Whatever it is. I guess my point is… Are you sure springtails don’t bite, even for possibly self defense or salt? Oh, and the springtail(?) like bug bites itched afterwards. Histamine reaction from some type of irritant, offensive or defensive, is my best guess. I am no expert though, last time I studied entomology I was ten. Thanks for any answers on the aphid-fleas, that’s what I’m calling them now.
Tresaderm topically rubbed into infested skin areas (undersides of my golden retriever’s ears) 2x/day x 2 weeks after thoroughly washing and brushing him and removing him from the environment finally cured my dog of his collembola infestation.
I to have these flea like bugs. I to would like to know what they are and what’s their purpose s?
sounds like springtails, try researching them
The best thing to do, is put 1 tbsp of dish soap, dawn works best, into a spay bottle. get hot, hot, hot water and add 2 cups of hot water to the spray bottle. Shake well, and spray infested areas with solution. It kills them instantly. repeat every couple days if they come back. Shouldn’t have a problem after a week. Hope this helps!! Make sure your house is dry also, if they are inside. THey are attracted to moist areas, especially potted indoor plants!!
im fed up with the same bug i do not have pets but these things keep biting my children in bed. i have to sqeeze them very hard to kill them what are they they jump and are very fast.
I believe the culprit is cat fleas. Really hard to catch since it’s small and jump really fast. Last year my sister and me suffer from it. We got it from our pets. We have 2 dogs which walked outside daily. There many stray dogs and cats outside.
Yes, cat fleas can jump to dogs too.
We went to a vet and Medicate the pets, and also went to a dermatologist since the bitten skin can be really itchy and can be painful.
Thanks for your information on Cat Fleas. The person who submitted this identification request ten years ago never mentioned getting bitten, but they did mention the quantity of critters and the locations where they were found. We still believe that person encountered Springtails, but without a photo, we cannot be certain.
I believe the culprit is cat fleas. Really hard to catch since it’s small and jump really fast. Last year my sister and me suffer from it. We got it from our pets. We have 2 dogs which walked outside daily. There many stray dogs and cats outside.
Yes, cat fleas can jump to dogs too.
We went to a vet and Medicate the pets, and also went to a dermatologist since the bitten skin can be really itchy and can be painful.
Actually now i found new bug similar to cat fleas but easier to kill. No hard shell like cat fleas.
It jumps quite fast and bites too. The bite wound Is red, small bump and Very itchy as well.
I don’t think it’s a bed bug. I don’t know what it is.
Can somebody tell me ?
Please use out standard submission form by clicking the Ask What’s That Bug? link on our site. It is difficult to be certain without seeing a photo.
Actually now i found new bug similar to cat fleas but easier to kill. No hard shell like cat fleas.
It jumps quite fast and bites too. The bite wound Is red, small bump and Very itchy as well.
I don’t think it’s a bed bug. I don’t know what it is.
Can somebody tell me ?
Hey I got small insects flea sized but they seem to be able to fly a bit I’m saying quite short distances they don’t die as easily as I figure they should but I don’t have to smash and crush the little guys into the dirt to do it or nothing found maybe seven or eight but there’s only been an issue for couple days seen in bed caught one or two on my bicep and shin other than that found one or two in carpet and silently hoped at night I don’t feel em in bed with me just wondering if I am about to have a major issue here or if since the things are so few in number should or shouldn’t I take precautions for repelling them or what since idk only other thing I can think of is they are a millimeter maybe two tops not even and they are jet black in color I as of today have no bites……
I have the same bug as you do Chris I found them in my bed this morning they hop just a little and they crawl they have wings and look like an ant but they did not bite me.
I have a small fish pond and have just had an explosion of what would follow the springtail description…(first time in 7 years)… finally. I have koi and many baby frogs which are not interested in eating them. they have surrounded the edge of the pond above water level and in the water and all around the water lettuce inside the pond. They do not bite me but I do have concern for their impact on the ecosystem impact to our fish and frogs and potential for diseases and parasites. I have started removing them with a pail at a time into a separate basin with soapy water. I am relieved to have found this site to finally identify what they are.
When Springtails are especially numerous, conditions are right for them to proliferate. If your fish and frogs are still healthy, we doubt the Springtails will have any negative effect on them, though they might become a nuisance for you. These population explosions are cyclical.
The bugs bite. They like dark material and appear to be cream to white in appearance.
I can feel them crowling on me . They move like a worm. What are they?
Sounds like silverfish
The bugs bite. They like dark material and appear to be cream to white in appearance.
I can feel them crowling on me . They move like a worm. What are they?
I have been dealing with these stupid bugs all summer and so far fall. They are all over my dogs, and I already tried shaving one dog… they started invading her legs and spots I couldn’t shave. I think they are springtails as well, but NOTHING WILL GET RID OF THEM!!!!!!!! They are not fleas!!!! I have used everything imaginable!!!!!!!!!!!! I want them to go away!
I have the same bugs! They are coming out from under the sides of the tile around the shower. They are almost microscopic. They are grayish black. I cannot get a good view of them because when I crush them in a tissue, they turn to a dust like, little grey spot on the tissue. They do jump. I live in Florida, & lately, I am seeing more & more. I have tried sprays, citrus especially, but it only stops them for a little while. Maybe there is a place where there is moisture through the outside wall. They don’t seem to head near the drain, but only on the far end of the tub. I don’t believe they bite, & they are not hard bodied. They are also not long , but minuscule tiny little things,They are also not the same little bugs that I’ve seen on window sills, & they are not silverfish. I just wish I could get a good view of them. All I see is tiny specks & then I clean them up with a tissue, all day long! I think I may spray some tilex.
We suspect you have Springtails.
I think you are right. I was able to look at 2 of the larger ones, & they look like springtails from the google images. Do they jump? because the minuscule ones jump, & maybe I have 2 different bugs? We keep the bathroom spotless & clutter free. Today I used Tilex & let it sit . I also threw some drain cleaner down the drain. Then I cleaner the tub , twice. I also cleaned the shower curtains & rugs this week. How much cleaner can I get it to stop these bugs that return no matter what. Ok, is there a spray, maybe that I can purchase from Home Depot? Thank you!
For those interested, I have done a lot research online on springtails, the past few days.
They are all different sizes. They are white, gray or black. They do crawl as well as jump 6-8 feet!
Hard to kill, as they are attracted to where moisture or mold is present, so you have to remove the nest. They breed thousands every 2-3 weeks.So they say, if you’re seeing a lot of them, there are 10’s of thousands that you’re not seeing. And if left untreated, they will be all over your home after awhile.
They can be treated outside as well as inside. I am ordering a spray for springtails that I found by google search. I also found that spraying a mixture of Dawn soap & some water, is keeping them out of the tub. Someone else suggested that & it’s working.Bugs hate Dawn soap, so I sprayed an ant problem outside my front door also. The springtails returned after using Tilex, but they are staying away from the Dawn spray, so far. We are also going to spray the outside wall , the other side of the bathroom, where I think they may be nesting outdoors. After every shower, keep a spray bottle & spray the grout where they are getting in, or wherever they are present. Someone said , the springtails have moved away from them doing this. Worth a try.
For those interested, I have done a lot research online on springtails, the past few days.
They are all different sizes. They are white, gray or black. They do crawl as well as jump 6-8 feet!
Hard to kill, as they are attracted to where moisture or mold is present, so you have to remove the nest. They breed thousands every 2-3 weeks.So they say, if you’re seeing a lot of them, there are 10’s of thousands that you’re not seeing. And if left untreated, they will be all over your home after awhile.
They can be treated outside as well as inside. I am ordering a spray for springtails that I found by google search. I also found that spraying a mixture of Dawn soap & some water, is keeping them out of the tub. Someone else suggested that & it’s working.Bugs hate Dawn soap, so I sprayed an ant problem outside my front door also. The springtails returned after using Tilex, but they are staying away from the Dawn spray, so far. We are also going to spray the outside wall , the other side of the bathroom, where I think they may be nesting outdoors. After every shower, keep a spray bottle & spray the grout where they are getting in, or wherever they are present. Someone said , the springtails have moved away from them doing this. Worth a try.
I also have these little tiny bugs all over my screens and window sills. I noticed one that was caught in the screen had little wings. Most of them dont show their wings. I have read that Springtails do not have wings so I dont think they are Springtails.
I believe what you are describing are called mites. i satarted seeing them all over my house and then on my dog. they burrow into your skin and make itch. i got rid of them by wiping everythinh down with peroxide. including my dog and myself they were all gone in 3 days!
I found that if you make are having a problem around you can use a mixture or vinegar dish liquid it will attract them. I haven’t tried the other suggestions but I am open to them. I live in a wooded area so I have seen them often.
Recently, we have had no doubt, thousands of tiny, jumping black and tan bugs around our house. (I have 2 really good photos if there is a way to post them here.) It is spring time here. We noticed them all over our driveway, then on our wall, door, garage door and window sill. A few have recently migrated to our kitchen and paper towel storage. My husband said one bit him but I have not experienced that. Is there a way I can send the pics. to identify them? They do not look like the pics. I have seen of springtails. Thanks for any help here.
You may submit images using the Ask What’s That Bug? link on our site.
I’ve spent the last two years trying to figure out the this bug that Anna from way back in 2004 describes. Her’s sounds the closest to what I have. Some of the post here say they are slow, but they are not. They crawl very fast. I looked at the springtail bug pictures and they don’t look like them either. They do not have wings. They have the same characteristics as fleas, they jump when you go to get them and they look exactly like fleas up close too, but are all gray in color. Only gray in color that I have seen and I’ve seen thousands over the past two years. As Anna mentions they are all over my windows too, It seems to have to be shady and out of direct sunlight and heat. They don’t ever appear when the sun is hitting the window. They have infiltrated my house too, but mostly along the window sills and in the tub or sink. They are not mites as mentioned in one post. I’ve looked at several mite pictures and they have rounder bodies. These are narrow just like fleas and seems the only difference is in the color Gray. What are these things?
I’m not sure but I have the same bugs. I noticed them on my bed, mail, and near my windows.
I may have something like yours! I cant find any pictures of them. Tiny little grayish bugs like the size of this dash – They have little antenna and lots of little legs down their sides, but they dont jump or fly but crawl. They are in my window and even with it shut they can crawl under and down my wall! And some are on my curtains and bed spread thats up against by the window. I have a cat and I dont know if these things can get on her and cause her harm?
I was sitting at the beach , last weekend and tiny little green bugs were jumping on me. Some say they are aphids. All I know is they are annoying and they kind of hurt a little. How do you get rid of them?
The bugs the original poster described and that were re-described by Franie are similar to the ones I discovered today hanging on both the inside and outside of a deep white window sill in an old, but very well maintained an not at all routinely damp, stone house in SE Pennsylvania. I was initially crestfallen because they were hopping and hanging out near a bottle of Neem-based spray intended for the relief of itchy pets. I thought someone must have sprayed one of our cats or dogs in the bathroom and that the bugs bailed onto the sill to look for new host. These were not arachnids or fleas however and showed no inclination to jump on me or to bite and – more tellingly – I easily mushed a couple into the fine grey powder that Franie describes which – aside from making them hard to identify after death – did not at all remind me of tough exoskeleton of fleas. Nor did they resemble the much easier to kill – but harder to see (and twice as hungry and itchy) northern fowl mites our chickens once blessed us with. When startled by a thump on the sill they crawl or hop/fly for corners.The window in question was within jumping distance of the peak of the roof of the house. They seemed to hop when startled but I see then also fly short distances (wing as are very hard to see when they are not back-lit.
Possibly Springtails, but they don’t have wings.
I’m in Reno Nevada and have them in my room. Found them in my bed and all over everything but no large group. Long narrow gray bugs that bites and jumps. Never had a bug problem before until now. There should be a way to kill them.
I am.having a issue .. have no where to turn .. I was brushing my hair today and notice these reddish orange bugs ..so I got a white piece of paper and there was a few .. they are fast little things and fly .. I do have animals .my little ones sleep with me but have always have .. there are 5 people n the house hold , no one has anything n there heads and no one has any kind of marks from anything biting them 3 with long hair .. they have nothing .just me only thing I had was a few bugs .my head hasn’t been itching or nothing .i went crazy today and bought everything imaginable out for anything from lice .fles tick you name that I bought it …. I do not go anywhere .I am always home ..and nobody comes in to my house .everyone stays out side .. I have had 3major neck surgeries so I stay to myself so if any one has any idea please help … I am about to the end of my rope …thank u
I also have springtails. They are a bitch! I am gonna get some Dawn dishwasing liquid ASAP! Is there any new solution to killing these devil bugs? Thanks, BG
THANKS CYNDI, 11/18/13
THE DAWN WORKED!!! I tried a salt/hot water solution, harsh chemicals and nothing worked on these buggers. I “caution” that my spray bottle did start to melt after pouring the tea kettle water into the container but the spray bottle still worked fine. It took out the infestation. For FLEAS, a non-toxic way to treat them is to sprinkle table salt on you rugs, furniture and leave as long as possible before vacuuming. Extremely cheap and effective. May need to repeat if big infestation.
THANKS CYNDI, 11/18/13
THE DAWN WORKED!!! I tried a salt/hot water solution, harsh chemicals and nothing worked on these buggers. I “caution” that my spray bottle did start to melt after pouring the tea kettle water into the container but the spray bottle still worked fine. It took out the infestation. For FLEAS, a non-toxic way to treat them is to sprinkle table salt on you rugs, furniture and leave as long as possible before vacuuming. Extremely cheap and effective. May need to repeat if big infestation.
Sharleen i have same problem i have no clue what they are and seem like im only one seeing them, they are tiny silver skinny no wings jumps. Are pretty fast in my bedroom. And are very annoying easy to kill by jus squeezing not hard like a flee . Please what are they , they jus came out of nowhere. I live i phila,Pa please help
We suspect Springtails.
I have these too! When Windows are open they are all over the screen. They are black and you go too touch them they jump like fleas but def not a flea! What are these pests? Can’t believe no one knows.
We would guess Springtails.
Hi everyone,
These bugs are either Springtails or Thrips. They both crawl/hop/jump, but some Thrips can fly. It’s kind of like some ants that have wings, some Thrips have wings too. Thrips bite humans and I suspect Springtails too. They like leaf litter and mildew. This is why they like rotton window seals. When the population explodes they will bite like fleas if they don’t have enough food to supply their population. Their offsprings will be most of the cause of your biting problem when it comes to biting. They live in the soil, underneath mulching, leaf filled gutters and they love Japenese Maple trees! Springfield and Thrips look very similar, but Thrips are known to bite humans. The nymphs are macroscopic so you can only feel them biting and may not be able to see them. They make their way inside through unsealed baseboard and cracks. They also are attracted by water leaks, pots plants (soil) and places that grow mold, usually bathrooms. Fix leaks, seal cracks inside. Remove any soil, leaf litter and tree branches from the perimeter of house. Finally, buy Onslaught to kill them dead!!! They have two kinds, but I prefer Onslaught Fastcap Spider and Scorpion, it has a knockdown effect.and quickly breaks the cycle. It can be used inside and out with a residual encapsulation. This stuff saved my sanity! I suffered for years with these pests biting me. It was a nightmare until I finally located their entry point and identified this pest. You can find this professional grade bug killer at Amazon or http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com. Hope this helps someone suffering with these plaguing creatures. God bless.
Hi everyone,
These bugs are either Springtails or Thrips. They both crawl/hop/jump, but some Thrips can fly. It’s kind of like some ants that have wings, some Thrips have wings too. Thrips bite humans and I suspect Springtails too. They like leaf litter and mildew. This is why they like rotton window seals. When the population explodes they will bite like fleas if they don’t have enough food to supply their population. Their offsprings will be most of the cause of your biting problem when it comes to biting. They live in the soil, underneath mulching, leaf filled gutters and they love Japenese Maple trees! Springfield and Thrips look very similar, but Thrips are known to bite humans. The nymphs are macroscopic so you can only feel them biting and may not be able to see them. They make their way inside through unsealed baseboard and cracks. They also are attracted by water leaks, pots plants (soil) and places that grow mold, usually bathrooms. Fix leaks, seal cracks inside. Remove any soil, leaf litter and tree branches from the perimeter of house. Finally, buy Onslaught to kill them dead!!! They have two kinds, but I prefer Onslaught Fastcap Spider and Scorpion, it has a knockdown effect.and quickly breaks the cycle. It can be used inside and out with a residual encapsulation. This stuff saved my sanity! I suffered for years with these pests biting me. It was a nightmare until I finally located their entry point and identified this pest. You can find this professional grade bug killer at Amazon or http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com. Hope this helps someone suffering with these plaguing creatures. God bless.
Was told by Pest Service that they are bedbugs. I am itching and getting bit once in a while. My cats are scratching more than usual. I initially saw them in the ceiling corners. They are are small and black. Almost like a flea and are attracted to light as I have found them in light fixtures as well. Gnats or springtails?
I get loads of bites from tiny, greenish insects that look like fleas. Also, little cream things that seem to dark fabric and bite really hard if disturbed. They look like a speck of dust or grain of salt. Landlord and pest guy think I’m imagining it, in spite of red bite marks on lower legs and waist. Hard to catch specimens to show them!
Possibly Thrips
Hi. I am posting again. I originally said about using Dawn blue dish washing liquid.I know this is an old post,but it’s a helpful one at that. We moved. A year later, there are those Springtails again in my new bathtub! We had every nook & cranny regrouted, touched up, including resealing the window, etc.. Whatever needed to be done, so there were no tiny openings. Also sprayed the area outside the wall, with poison. Thing is, they like mold. But these are all new gutted walls, redone with non molding materials,etc. Someone said , check the drainstopper, which opens & closes the drain for the tub. There is an overflow opening. They can get into there & nest.I took the stopper off, poured a little Dawn without any added water. Put the stopper back on. Then continued to spray a Dawn & water mixture around there daily. It seems, the bugs are all gone!Bugs hate Dawn. I spray it around the doors also.
They don’t like mold, they ARE mold—sporesnto be exact. They may appear as if they are motile/jump but that’s just to to their minute size and the slightest air currents.
Took me over a year to figure out, i have a fungal infection and it feels as if you are bitten, furthermore it itches like crazy. Check your place for mold/mildew and if you have problems go to the Derm and say Fungal or yeast infection.
They don’t like mold, they ARE mold—sporesnto be exact. They may appear as if they are motile/jump but that’s just to to their minute size and the slightest air currents.
Took me over a year to figure out, i have a fungal infection and it feels as if you are bitten, furthermore it itches like crazy. Check your place for mold/mildew and if you have problems go to the Derm and say Fungal or yeast infection.
I have these bugs and they are only out side. They bite the dogs and people. How do I get rid of them? What can I put on my dogs and myself to stop them from biting or give us comfort from the itching?
I have these bugs biting my dogs and people here when outside. What can I do to control these bugs. It doesn’t matter what time you go out in the yard they are there. My dogs are really getting bites and itching. If I go out I get bit also.
I too have springtails ..Came this spring, right after the clover mites… WE have done so much and still have them.. service contract with orkin, ( doesn’t guarantee theses bastards) removing all the mulch around the perimeter.. sprayed entire garage< all window sills, extended hose on AC condensation line etc…. Its getting dry outside so they are coming back inside again.. its a fulltime job and I am so disgusted, I wanna cry.. The house is only 2 years old & if there are moisture issues somewhere, we don't know where to begin … I guess I will try the Dawn
I think I have fleas black oval shape bugs jumping I don’t no what to do any help
Tricky mom did was a lamp no lamp shade put bowl soapy dawn water under it. As they attract to bulb too hot , fall in bowl. Empty out and redo couple times a day
I have these tiny little flyers blackish color. Swarm around kitchen sink area,window there too bathroom mirror ..might try the dawn treatment and see if works cause I can’t make a drink or food with them all over. Even fridge as I open the door. Far as I know no leaks around areas.
Everyone seems to be agreeing these tiny bugs “jump”. The bugs I have do not jump. They move very quickly but I can crush them very easily. They are very tiny. I’ll try to lightly crush one & view it under a magnifying glass. They get into the sugar & cereal packages.
Try researching Springtails.
Tried to examine one of these minute bugs under a mag. Glass. Still looks like an ant but when I murdered it I probably crushed the telltale tails. Is it possible to mix Borax with sugar or flowers as a way to annihilate the colony. This worked on large ants a while back?
I have done an extensive amount of research on fleas for the past week and a half. Almost a month ago we went camping on an island off of the coast of Tampa, FL – a popular camping spot & a great place for kayaking, hiking, and shelling. We collected plenty of shells. After 2 days on the island, returned home with a ton of bites which we attributed to no-see-ums, maybe a few sand fleas, and mosquitoes…but after about 2 days the bites didn’t go away and we kept feeling thing crawling on us, our clothing, and knew something came with us back to the house. There are no pets, however, we kept getting these horrible bites and within 3-4 days every room in the house was a war zone. We washed with dog shampoo which seemed to work temporarily, but they kept biting. Took all the clothing to the laundromat, bagged everything we could think of, stayed in a hotel, DE-ed the home, sprayed Bengal flea spray everywhere – including the car; cleaned with a $1200 vacuum, Flea bombed, the whole 9 within 2 days of a friend’s previously planned visit… The friend took home 5 bites to the face, and I also, as an extended visitor, brought my items home in bags…fleeing naked into my home for fear that even my clothing would pollute my home. I isolated all my items in my garage. I eventually went to spray some of my items after I bought a 3 foot extender/grabber at Walmart to go through a couple of them avoiding getting too close. Somehow, despite spraying myself with lemon oil&water repellent and wearing what felt like a hazmat suit, something still somehow bit my back so I went inside to shower. Whatever that was replicated and has gotten all over shower, my room, laundry room and now I cannot sleep. I haven’t been able to see a SINGLE flea-like creature, NOTHING. Neither of us were able to catch what had bitten us – every time we got bit – nothing! No evidence of creatures except when the home was left alone with the DE for several days, returned to find disgusting little flea-looking like creatures – only a few. Called Orkin to identify and they have no clue because they state that they “aren’t acting like fleas” and they cannot identify what they are – even after taking a sample bag I had abandoned outside & sprayed with Black Flag – revealing some grey & black looking tiny bugs. I have pictures, not sure how to post them here…but my girlfriend is about to lose her house and her sanity..and I can barely sleep – cleaning, doing laundry, spraying every night…starting to bag items. Have a dog who has been scratching a little and do not live alone… been trying to contain it and praying for some answers. If anyone can help or has any suggestions – would be ever appreciative.
There was fungus under the mulch…removed and replaced with stone, all springtails gone within a few weeks…hope We never see them again.Dee
ok, my guys are these very tiny light colored, i’d say light yellow in color and about the size of a grain of salt. i walk out in my back yard and within minutes im covered with them and you can feel them like an itch but they are very hard to see. I dont think they have wings. sometimes the will get in your nose or mouth when you inhale. Tend to attract to white or light colored shirts. Very annoying. Was flying my drone today and couldnt last 5 minutes outside because of the itching feeling. theyre almost impossible to see.. What are these !!! and how can I rid of them. I have no pets!
Possibly Thrips.
Thank you guys finally im like fighting flea like stuff for 2months now i know it drain fly they dont have exoskeleton and they are irritating and annoying especially the baby i know my house dont have pet but i have this type of stuff at first i thought it was a flea so im so crazy warring with this flea like shit but now i finally found the answer i felt more relieved. Thank guys btw does this flea drain jump if u try to kill them?
I mean drain flies jump if ur hand near them which is try to kill them?
So true that i cant sleep well for nearly 2months until i found the name of this creature and then this site finally im relieved
But i can confirm ir drain flies smaller version of it which makes me thinks that it flea because it look like flea that jump when u try to kill them or squash them
Yea drain flies smaller version with characteriestic of flea thay can jump when we near them or try to kill them.
May i know what the name of this insect ;(
Yea drain flies smaller version with characteriestic of flea thay can jump when we near them or try to kill them.
May i know what the name of this insect ;(
This might help some folk.
I will try to post my ‘story and pics’ here too, but for now……
I have bought Onslaught Spider/Scorpion due to the explosion from just a few under a few things to now crawling everywhere…. I cannot sit in my chair on the patio or even eat outside now. Will advise with results after spraying tomorrow. Onslaught is supposed to leave a residual effort to continue killing (which I desperately need). Fingers are crossed….but in the meantime – the link below DEF helped me ID these as Springtails. It might help others too 🙂
PS: these are also known as Snow Fleas..
Read: http://pestkilled.com/how-to-get-rid-of-springtails/
This might help some folk.
I will try to post my ‘story and pics’ here too, but for now……
I have bought Onslaught Spider/Scorpion due to the explosion from just a few under a few things to now crawling everywhere…. I cannot sit in my chair on the patio or even eat outside now. Will advise with results after spraying tomorrow. Onslaught is supposed to leave a residual effort to continue killing (which I desperately need). Fingers are crossed….but in the meantime – the link below DEF helped me ID these as Springtails. It might help others too 🙂
PS: these are also known as Snow Fleas..
Read: http://pestkilled.com/how-to-get-rid-of-springtails/
Okay… I am back……
Tis July 4th wknd and I am so beyond tired of these bugs…. I just used my sprayer that is not intended for insecticides and ONSLAUGHT Spider&Scorpion. Decided it was best now since it’s late (and they are prolific when the sun is down) and since my little one-eyed squirrel friend who I give nuts to (One-Eyed-Willie…frm The Goonies :)) wouldn’t be back till tomorrow.
NADA,NOTHING,not a bug in sight jumping, crawling, moving….nothing!!!!!! Unknown bugs on walls, spiders here&there, and little fire ants in one of my potted plants……
*********************ALL DEAD!!!!!!!!!! Y-A-Y !!!!!!!!!!!!!!**********************
Tomorrow may be a new day, but I think for the first time in weeks that I’ll be able to sit outside without being covered with these things (let alone the creepy itchy thing going on).
Whomever you were above suggesting Onslaught Spider/Scorpion – beer is on me this wknd!!!!!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!
To all…. this just might be your best shot.
I’ve tried vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, bleach…..all to no avail. Was trying to make sure that my little wild friends wouldn’t be harmed. But in the long run…. too many attempts only to end up where I was but worse…… such fast breeding, and suddenly hundreds in just a sq ft of patio! Nasty little buggers….. Onslaught says ok for peeps/pets once it’s dried, and that is my hope 🙂
My only salvation so far and perhaps your’s too. Good Luck to all!
*************************** !!ByeBye Springtails!! **************************
***If no update —- consider my problem solved; I’ve rambled enough here already***
Okay… I am back……
Tis July 4th wknd and I am so beyond tired of these bugs…. I just used my sprayer that is not intended for insecticides and ONSLAUGHT Spider&Scorpion. Decided it was best now since it’s late (and they are prolific when the sun is down) and since my little one-eyed squirrel friend who I give nuts to (One-Eyed-Willie…frm The Goonies :)) wouldn’t be back till tomorrow.
NADA,NOTHING,not a bug in sight jumping, crawling, moving….nothing!!!!!! Unknown bugs on walls, spiders here&there, and little fire ants in one of my potted plants……
*********************ALL DEAD!!!!!!!!!! Y-A-Y !!!!!!!!!!!!!!**********************
Tomorrow may be a new day, but I think for the first time in weeks that I’ll be able to sit outside without being covered with these things (let alone the creepy itchy thing going on).
Whomever you were above suggesting Onslaught Spider/Scorpion – beer is on me this wknd!!!!!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!
To all…. this just might be your best shot.
I’ve tried vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, bleach…..all to no avail. Was trying to make sure that my little wild friends wouldn’t be harmed. But in the long run…. too many attempts only to end up where I was but worse…… such fast breeding, and suddenly hundreds in just a sq ft of patio! Nasty little buggers….. Onslaught says ok for peeps/pets once it’s dried, and that is my hope 🙂
My only salvation so far and perhaps your’s too. Good Luck to all!
*************************** !!ByeBye Springtails!! **************************
***If no update —- consider my problem solved; I’ve rambled enough here already***
I thought I was Losing My Ever Loving Mind until I just spent 3 hrs. Researching until I found this Site. Amen!!!! One thing that caught My attention is that one of You mentioned seeing them on Your Screen. I’m sitting in the dark, TV on IPad screen. This is when I notice them. They are so darn tiny that I can just us My finger & squish them. However I feel like they are crawling all over Me! I can’t stop scratching, know just imaginary I HOPE. I live in a very hot Humid Apt Building, not moist or Dry. I also notice them crawling around My Kitchen Counters. Strange cause I have to do a double take, thought I was seeing things. Thank You All so much. I feel so much better, & now know I’m not alone or NUTS!! They are real! Again Thank You for the Tips. Sue
Oh Sue…. I feel your pain! …..and how the imagination works eh. After days of 10+ on my tanktop whilst just sitting in my chair outside….. ‘that buggy feeling’ just wouldn’t stop! And yes, apparently they like ‘the ride’ into the kitchen/living room/etc too 🙁
This be my update and my findings:
Onslaught worked well for me that 1st night. Being that these buggers don’t care for light or heat, my concrete patio “holds the heat” until later in the day….. that’s when it got truly buggie…..thousands of em :(((
The next morning went fairly okay….. just perhaps 20 or so seen on the concrete near my chair, a couple still appeared on me. I felt somewhat defeated. It occurred to me that my concrete patio was the problem VS the residual affect of Onslaught. The concrete would need to be rewetted in order for any residual spray to become reactivated. Bummer….much different than say, ‘soil’ or something else organic that might stay damp.
So instead of just wetting all with with water again, I decided to double the dose of Onslaught to 1 gallon of water. I then went to work…. I went to work so much that I ended up respraying everything twice that day (allowing all to dry inbetween efforts…..yes, I was annoyed). Half a bottle of the concentrated Onslaught later….. the 3rd morning was HUGE! Only one or two seen throughout the day, and NONE on me!!
My problem is that I don’t know how they get up to a 2nd-story patio, so nipping them in the bud is difficult. I still plan on respraying weekly as mentioned prior but so far I am 1.5 weeks clear (with the exception of a few I see that I smush with my flipflops whilst sitting outside) enough to consider this basically a complete success!! NONE on me or my clothes!!! Life got too busy to find time for the weekly respray, but that doubled dose and thrice sprayed seems to have offer me relief. To all reading, I hope that this helps you too. To be completely honest though, I am still wary and do tend to check my clothes whilst sitting outside at times —— but NOW I CAN SIT OUTSIDE sans any buggie feeling once back indoors or out.
Good Luck to all and thank you WTB for existing 🙂
Oh Sue…. I feel your pain! …..and how the imagination works eh. After days of 10+ on my tanktop whilst just sitting in my chair outside….. ‘that buggy feeling’ just wouldn’t stop! And yes, apparently they like ‘the ride’ into the kitchen/living room/etc too 🙁
This be my update and my findings:
Onslaught worked well for me that 1st night. Being that these buggers don’t care for light or heat, my concrete patio “holds the heat” until later in the day….. that’s when it got truly buggie…..thousands of em :(((
The next morning went fairly okay….. just perhaps 20 or so seen on the concrete near my chair, a couple still appeared on me. I felt somewhat defeated. It occurred to me that my concrete patio was the problem VS the residual affect of Onslaught. The concrete would need to be rewetted in order for any residual spray to become reactivated. Bummer….much different than say, ‘soil’ or something else organic that might stay damp.
So instead of just wetting all with with water again, I decided to double the dose of Onslaught to 1 gallon of water. I then went to work…. I went to work so much that I ended up respraying everything twice that day (allowing all to dry inbetween efforts…..yes, I was annoyed). Half a bottle of the concentrated Onslaught later….. the 3rd morning was HUGE! Only one or two seen throughout the day, and NONE on me!!
My problem is that I don’t know how they get up to a 2nd-story patio, so nipping them in the bud is difficult. I still plan on respraying weekly as mentioned prior but so far I am 1.5 weeks clear (with the exception of a few I see that I smush with my flipflops whilst sitting outside) enough to consider this basically a complete success!! NONE on me or my clothes!!! Life got too busy to find time for the weekly respray, but that doubled dose and thrice sprayed seems to have offer me relief. To all reading, I hope that this helps you too. To be completely honest though, I am still wary and do tend to check my clothes whilst sitting outside at times —— but NOW I CAN SIT OUTSIDE sans any buggie feeling once back indoors or out.
Good Luck to all and thank you WTB for existing 🙂
So there’s this bug in my car, almost the shape and size of an Asian beetle, it’s a tan/brown color, has wings, jumps like a flea and lives in Wisconsin. I have a pic but idk how to post it
Please save me
H i i do have itchiness and live in a hot country i have a lot of dump in my house and saw tiny jumping insects on my wall but i am so itchy and feel i have them on me contantly, sometimes in my head which i scratch constantly. Here in Srilanka is rainy season too and we also have sever leaks in the apartment. they come out in the night and come in my bed then on me making me sleepless. I am not sure if they are fleas or springtails, i know fleas got a harder body, but the one i have i easily smash them and some reddish/brownish liquid comes out. can someone help to identify the bug?
I’m in Statesboro Georgia and I’m suddenly facing a major infestation of tiny bugs that look and behave exactly as those of you here are saying. Flea like bugs that jump, some look like specks of peper, some are whitish and look like flacks of skin, and others are basically translucent. They bite like crazy and cause terrible itching! And must be at least thousands of them all over my clothes and on sheets and blankets. I’ve been boiling water and soaking everything in it to kill them. But there are too many all over everything and I worry that I won’t be able to get rid of them this way. I have to be careful about sprays and other poisons because I have inside cats and one outside dog. I wonder how wide spread these things are. I’m 48, been living in this area all my life, but I’ve never seen these things before! Someone said bird mites. I’ll look it up.
Silverfish!!
I bought the victor ultimate flea trap; works great. So does hot spot fogger; I used the no-mess fogger. I may have to do it often, but it has given me relief. I fog and then test the area with the flea trap. That thing has caught a few different types of bugs I didn’t know existed. Good luck.
I still don’t know what has been biting me for a year and a half. It was a coincidence that, the day I found a swarm of them on my bathroom window-sill, our pest-control man was here. He identified them as Springtails; however, others who have inspected them do not agree. I sent specimens to the Department of Agriculture; they declared they were not mites, but that was all. The pests have moved from my body into my mouth, and refuse to leave. I’m 91; and hope I find a way to rid myself of this nightmare.
need help stage 1 very small grey hard sticky pod stage 2 thin3/4 in white grub from pod stage 3 ?? looks like compressed tumble(NOTE lives every orange hard nugget) last stage i have observe small founder like flat lt. brown ………debrie always floating in air…natsy waste field does not die when sprayed had for 3 yr cannot get straight from county co-extension nor okin man says they r not native north west alabama plus by al law is no obligation to tell customer they or not spiderscropion they r every where gets into lockdown plasic contains wife has dementia help!!!!
I can not figure out what these bug’s are, every time I finnaly catch them I decide to try to go to the toilet a drown them and I watch them try doggy paddle out and then when I come back I can see them on the toilet seat and it drives me crazy they never die I tried all of these I vacuumed a million time’s and ran around my room with the insect repelient spray a million time’s and their still bothering they are littile and black that jump and can crawl but are tinier then silverfish and spring tails and have no wing’s Help Please!
Good morning, I have this invisible tiny insects, I used all kind of insecticed, bombs, oils, windex, expend on creams, pill for allergics, doctors say is on my mind, fumigators company don’t see anything, this tiny insects fly, bother me day & more at night all over my body, ears, nose, hair etc, It’s been a long time, don’t know what else to do, I need your help, please!!!
Could some of these be No-See-Ums? Google and look at Images.
Sweep tile or wood floors, and vacuum carpets, rugs, and furniture. Use carpet spray – Spray carpets and upholstery in the home. Fleas love dark places, so spray under furniture and in crevices. Fog your house – Some foggers are effective up to 7 months, long enough to kill all the life stages of a flea in most cases.
https://verminkill.com/get-rid-of-fleas/
Sweep tile or wood floors, and vacuum carpets, rugs, and furniture. Use carpet spray – Spray carpets and upholstery in the home. Fleas love dark places, so spray under furniture and in crevices. Fog your house – Some foggers are effective up to 7 months, long enough to kill all the life stages of a flea in most cases.
https://verminkill.com/get-rid-of-fleas/