NPIPM:Collembola
Authors: Ashley Mueller, Buyung Hadi
Identification
Springtail adults are about 2/5 inch long, and they are dark gray in color. Springtails have six legs, lack wings, and they crawl slowly. Their distinguishing feature is their tendency to jump when approached. To achieve this feat, they use a forked structure at the end of their abdomen called a furcula.
Habitat
Springtail habitats vary greatly, but the majority of springtails develop in soil, where they feed on decaying plant material, bacteria, fungi, and algae. Some springtails may damage young plants, and a small number are predators of small soil animals.
Springtails have been known to migrate indoors during hot, dry periods in the summer, especially after high-moisture spring months. Indoors, they can be found near water in places like bathrooms and kitchen sinks. Overwatered houseplants and mold behind walls may be food sources for springtails.
Life Cycle and Seasonal History
Springtails develop in three stages: egg, nymph, and adult. Females lay eggs singly or in small batches, and the eggs hatch in approximately three weeks. Nymphs molt six to eight times as they develop into adults. Nymphs have the same appearance as adults, only they are smaller in size. Adults live for about two weeks. In ideal environmental conditions and with a good food source, springtail life cycles are completed quickly, resulting in an occasional population explosion in soils with high amounts of organic matter. Overcrowding and drying soil may cause springtails to migrate.
Human Interaction and Urban Impact
Springtails are not a health concern. They are unable to bite, so they are harmless towards people and pets. Springtails can be a temporary nuisance indoors, especially in large numbers. Most often, their migrations indoors last for a short period, and the population declines as the springtails trapped indoors die.
Commercially, springtails may be minor economically important pests because they can cause damage to young greenhouse plants and mushroom beds.
Prevention and Management Approaches
Springtails usually enter a building in search of moisture. To limit their entry into a building, seal or caulk any gaps in the foundation, doors, and windows. An indoor infestation usually takes care of itself due to lack of moisture and food. If springtails are present for a prolonged period of time, it is a sign of available moisture in the building.
Insecticide effectiveness to manage springtail infestations is questionable. Vacuuming the springtails found indoors is usually sufficient. If indoor infestation occurs for a prolonged period of time, it signals food availability. Eliminate food sources, like overwatered house plants or molds, to manage the infestation.
Other Online Resources
For information regarding labels of chemical control options, please visit NPIC MAPL
