- Springtails: Properties and Nutrition
- Recognizing Springtails
- Fighting Springtails
- Fighting Springtails in the Apartment
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Springtails like to cavort in potting soil. But are the small insects actually harmful and do they have to be fought?
Springtails (Collembola) are found throughout the soil and feed on decaying plant matter and fungi. There is usually enough of this in the soil and we generally don't have to worry about our plants. Only when the small animals appear in large numbers and cannot find any other food can they also damage our cultivated plants.
Springtails: Properties and Nutrition
The springtails are particularly moisture-loving and very tolerant of cold. They live sociable in the soil as so-called litter decomposers or decomposers. This means that they break down the dead organic material in the soil and are therefore extremely important for the material cycle. This decomposition creates humus, which in turn gives our plants food.
Some common jump tails are, for example, the blind jumpers ( onychiurus fimatus ) or the ball spray(Sminthunus viridis ).
How do Springtails feed?
As mentioned earlier, springtails are litter decomposers. Therefore, their primary diet consists of decaying and dead plant matter and fungi. However, it can happen that an above-average number of individuals form and the food supply decreases. Then it can happen that the small animals feed on living roots or seedlings. Then they start to become harmful to us or our plants. Such an overgrowth can happen, for example, through high doses of organic fertilizer - due to the large food supply, the number of springtails also increases.
Recognizing Springtails
If little "lice" jump around when watering your indoor plants, you have already discovered the first sign of springtails. Depending on the species, springtails have a more or less pronounced jumping apparatus. ontheir abdomen has a typical identifying feature: the so-called jump fork - also called furca. This jumping apparatus is reduced in springtails that live in deeper soil layers. Normally, the fork is fixed to the back when at rest. If the springtails are disturbed, the fixation is released and the furca shoots down. This causes the springtails to hop upwards, often even with a somersault.
Springtails have a three-part body: head, thorax and abdomen. The species close to the surface are dark in color, the species that live in deeper soil layers are lighter.
The hexapods also differ in terms of their body shape. Among the approximately 1,500 species in Central Europe there are elongated forms and spherical species. On average they are 0.2 to 0.5 mm in size and have either chewing-biting or piercing-sucking mouthparts.
Fighting Springtails
Fighting Springtails with Water
If you have springtails in your potted plants, there is an easy way to get rid of them. Put your plants in the sink or a large tub and let them water in. The root ball must be completely covered and the plant must remain in the water for at least half an hour. After this time, the springtails should float to the top of the water and can then be easily drained. After that, you should take the plant out of the bath and stop watering for some time. After treatment, it is often beneficial to repot the plants.
Fighting springtails with drought
If you have springtails in your garden bed, you have to work in exactly the opposite way than with potted plants. Because springtails are moisture-loving, the best way to get rid of them is to dry them out in the garden. However, the small, jumping critters in the bed shouldn't be a big problem as there is usually enough dead organic matter for the springtails to feed on rather than your plants. You can also try the dehydration method on very large potted plants if diving into the water is too awkward. If there is a springtail infestation in hydroponics, it is advisable to repot the plants in soil or to clean the container thoroughly and put in new clay pebbles.
Fighting springtails with predatory mites
If the springtails cause damage despite drying out, predatory mites can be used. For example, Hypoaspis miles or Hypoaspis aculeifer. These predatory mites are often sold to control fungus gnats, but they have a wide host range and can also help with Springtail infestation can be used. All active stages of these predatory mites are predatory. They can even go without prey for long periods of time and starve. They are therefore ideal for preventive treatment, but also suitable for acute infestations. The predatory mites are supplied as litter material and only need to be scattered on the ground.
Control root area
You should also check your potted plants. The cause is often underground. Since springtails like to feed on dead material and decaying organic matter, you should check the root ball of your plants. Remove rotting patches and replace the substrate with fresh soil - that can help limit the infestation.
These Internet Tips You Should Be Careful
You can quickly find tips for fighting springtails, which sound good, but ultimately do not have the desired effect. These tips include watering with lemon water, for example. The lemon water changes the pH of your potting soil and can damage your plants. Especially sensitive crops such as orchids can be damaged. The use of dishwashing liquid when submerging the plants is also recommended in order to reduce surface tension. However, only a few of the 1,500 springtail species can float on the surface of the water, so there is no need to pollute the plants with detergent. If you really do have a species of springtail that can survive being submerged in water, you might want to try drying out the substrate.
Fighting Springtails in the Apartment
The most important thing when dealing with springtails in your home is to find the source of the plague. Houseplants are often used for this. Once you've rid them of springtails, your four walls should be quiet too.
Since springtails love moisture, they often colonize gaps where moisture collects. Therefore, a thorough cleaning actionpromise success at home. Crawling springtails can be caught with a vacuum cleaner, and thorough airing out of damp rooms like the bathroom should reduce the springtails' livelihood.
But it is also possible that the springtails find places in damp buildings or after water damage where they can reproduce well. These spots must be found and dehumidified. For such procedures, however, you must consult a professional.
Tip: In order to strengthen your houseplants again after an infestation, we recommend our Plantura organic indoor & green plant fertilizer, which is simply added to the irrigation water.