A tiny bug disappears from a leaf the instant you disturb it. Did it fly away, or did it launch itself into the air? That small difference can help separate […]
Springtails in Potted Plants: What to Do About Them
Springtails in potted plants usually do not require pesticides or drastic treatment. They thrive in damp potting media and mostly feed on fungi, decaying roots and other organic material rather […]
What Kills Springtails Instantly?
When hundreds of springtails are hopping across a bathroom floor or gathering around a window, killing the ones you can see feels like the obvious priority. The problem is that […]
Springtails vs. Thrips: How to Tell Them Apart
Springtails and thrips are both tiny, slender creatures that can turn up around houseplants, and both can jump. The fastest way to separate them is to look at where they […]
Springtails vs. Booklice: How to Tell Them Apart
Springtails and booklice can show up in almost the same places. Both are tiny, both thrive around moisture, and both may look like little gray, white, or brown specks moving […]
Earwig vs. Springtail
An earwig and a springtail can turn up in the same damp corner of a home, but they are difficult to confuse once you watch them move. Springtails are tiny, […]
Does Diatomaceous Earth Kill Springtails?
Diatomaceous earth sounds almost perfectly suited to springtails. It kills arthropods by drying them out, while springtails depend heavily on moist environments. That combination makes the idea reasonable, but it […]
Does Borax Kill Springtails?
Borax has legitimate insecticidal uses, which makes it tempting to assume that scattering it wherever springtails appear will solve the problem. That conclusion goes too far. Borax-containing pesticides exist, but […]
What Is the Scientific Name for Springtails?
Springtails do not have one genus-and-species scientific name because the word “springtail” refers to a large group of related animals rather than a single species. The scientific name used for […]
Can Springtails Fly?
A springtail can disappear from the spot where you were watching it so quickly that flight seems like the obvious explanation. Look more closely, though, and there are no wings […]