Tiny White Jumping Bugs in Houseplant Soil: Springtails

Springtails (Snow fleas) are one of the most common tiny white jumping bugs in houseplant soil. The present article will tell you all things you must know including how to get rid of springtail bugs.

Tiny white bugs in houseplant’s soil, who are they? Are they harmful to your houseplant? Can they bite you or your pet? How can you get rid of them? Join us in the present article to speak with you about “Springtails” also known as “Snow fleas” and “Collembola”. I will answer all your questions about springtails and help you to get rid of them.

In addition, the following tiny bugs are common in houseplant soils:

• Root Aphids
• Isopods (Pill bugs)
• Springtails
• Mealybugs (Scales)
• Fungus gnats
• Earwigs

If you have spotted them in your houseplant’s soil you can click on them to give you great information about them. Some of these tiny bugs are harmful and others are harmless or even beneficial.

However, if you don’t have still identified the culprits or have any problem with other tiny bugs in your houseplant’s soil too, read “The 6 common tiny bugs in houseplant soil” to help you to detect the culprits by their images and symptoms!”

I will walk with you in this article, hence feel free to ask your question below this page. let’s get going to know more.

What are Tiny White Jumping Bugs in Houseplant Soil? Snow Fleas (Springtail Bugs)

Although we know the springtails as Snow fleas too, they are not real fleas. In the following, we first tell you about their appearance and then speak with you about their habit. Let’s get going.

The Springtail Appearance

• Grab your magnifying glass, springtails are tiny. The adults of these soft-bodied bugs are usually less than 2 mm in length.
• Their colour: you may find them in various colours, however, most of them are dark-coloured such as brown black and even blue. Some springtails are white to grey and you may find other lighted-coloured ones in yellow or even orange.
• Their body: They have 6 legs and are wingless, however spotting them under your magnifying glass can be difficult because they can jump up to several inches, and you may think they disappear! They do it with the help of their special forked structure under the abdomen.

Springtail vs Flea

As mentioned earlier, although springtails are called “snow fleas” too and are about of the same size they are not real fleas and there are differences in their appearance. They gain this nickname because of their ability to survive in harsh winters. In the following, you can find their similarity and difference in the following table.

Similarity		Difference
Springtails	Flea	Springtails	Flea
Are tiny bugs.	Are tiny bugs.	Are more rounded than fleas.	Their shape is flattened from side to side.
They can jump from place to place.	They can jump from place to place.	Have a soft body.	Have a very hard body.
		You can kill them easily by crushing them.	You cannot kill them by crushing them.

Springtail Mites

Some people call these tiny bugs springtail mites, but they are not real mites and are different from mites in terms of structure and classification. For those who are professional, mites belong to the subphylum of Arachnida but springtails are put into Hexapod.

Habit of Tiny White Jumping Bugs in Houseplant Soil (Springtail) 

After that you find out about the appearance of springtails, you should know about their habit. It will help you to make a practical strategy to get rid of them, although we will tell you they are not only harmless bugs but are also your friends in gardening. Keep reading.

Habitat of Tiny White Jumping Bugs in Houseplant Soil (Springtail) 

They love moist environments because they absorb water through their body. Hence you usually will meet these tiny bugs in your houseplant’s soil, bathroom or even kitchen.

Springtails’ food

They feed off bacteria, fungi, decaying vegetation, insect faeces, and pollen. Hence, they benefit your houseplants by releasing useful nutrients in your houseplant soil by breaking unusable organic materials and backing them into the soil. Thanks to Springtails!

 💡 Notice: In Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, and South and Western Australia there is a kind of springtail known as Lucerne flea. They are harmful pests that can cause damage to lupins, canola, fava beans, field peas, barley, ryegrass and wheat.

Fortunately, I couldn’t find any report of Lucerne fleas in houseplants. In the following, you can see their images.

Springtail Infestation in the House: How Do They Come into My House?

Most people ask me how springtails come into my house. springtails love moisture environments, hence when the outdoor conditions get too dry, they will travel to your house. They come into your home through:

• Crawlspace vents
• Under doors
• Basement windows
• Doors in your garage

and they make their new house in your bathroom, basement, kitchen or houseplant soil.

Do springtail bugs bite humans?

Some people ask me “What do springtail bites look like?” I get shocked hearing it because “snow fleas” are never into harming humans or pets. They only feed on decaying organic materials. Hence:

• They never bite you and your pets.
• They never sting you and your pets.
• They don’t cause any contact dermatitis in humans.

So, if you find them in your houseplant’s soil, let them do their things.

How to get rid of Tiny White Jumping Bugs in Houseplant Soil (Springtail)?

As mentioned above, springtails are your friend in gardening and help you to have lusher houseplants, however, they may not stay at your houseplant’s soil and may visit and habitant in other sides of your house such as bathroom, kitchen, etc.

Hence, if tiny bug springtails irks you enough, in this part we show you how to get rid of them based on their habit. Hence, let’s review their favourites again:

• They love moisture because they breathe by their body surface.
• They feed on decaying organic material.

Okay, let’s get going to get rid of them by changing their favourite conditions.

1- Decrease the Moisture:

• If your houseplant can stand a few drying conditions for a few days, you can decrease the moisture of the topsoil. In this situation, springtails will leave your potted plant.
• You can get help from a food-grade Diatomaceous Earth and spread it on the topsoil of your houseplant. It causes a dry condition and will repel the springtail. In addition, the sharp ledge of DE will annoy them.

2- Remove the Decaying Organic Materials:

• Springtails feed on decaying organic materials, hence remove the dead leaves and stems from the soil of your houseplant. when they don’t have enough food, will leave your indoor plant.

3- Get Help from Natural and Bio-Grade Soil-Drenching Pesticides:

• Some natural soil-drenching pesticides, such as Neem Oil can burn the springtails’ bodies. In addition, they cause suffocation by coating their entire bodies.

How to Prevent Tiny White Jumping Bugs in Houseplant Soil (Springtail)?

As mentioned earlier, when the outdoor condition gets too dry, springtails come into your house through open doors, windows screens and vent pipes and hold a party at your home without any invitation card! Keep reading to tell you How to prevent springtail infestation in your house

• Try to fill every crack in your house foundation.
• Keep decaying organic matter such as leaves, grass etc. away from your house.
• When you buy a new houseplant, check its soil with your thumbs and seek for springing. They usually love the greenhouse conditions and gardeners love them too.
• Try to dry the damp sides of your house by using a fan. It can include parts such as inside walls.

Conclusion

Now you are familiar with springtails as the most common tiny white jumping bugs in houseplant soil and know about their appearance and habit. You also found out sprigtails vs. fleas and they not only aren’t harmful to you and your houseplant but also are beneficial for your indoor plants. However, we told you how you can get rid of them in your house and houseplant.

Do you have any experience with springtails? Where? did you leave them to do their things or try to get rid of them? do you think the above treatments can work well? Do you have your strategy to control springtails? Please share your ideas and experiences with our readers below this page.