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Insect Quiz January, 2006 |
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Insect Quiz January, 2006 |
You are watering your houseplants one morning and as you casually look at one of your African violets you notice a number of very small, dark-colored ‘bugs’ jumping on the soil surface. You don’t see any of these insects on the plant itself, just on the soil. The plant looks alright but you are a little concerned by the presence of these insects.
1. What are these insects?
These tiny insects are springtails. They are 1/16th - 1/8th inch long, generally slender, and gray or brown (although you can find them in a variety of other colors). In their natural environment, they feed on fungi, pollen, and decaying organic material. Springtails are wingless but can jump by using a forked appendage known as a furcula.
2. Where did they come from?
They are very common outdoors in leaf litter and soil and under bark and decaying plant material. They are particularly associated with damp areas. Springtails can infest potted plants that are set outdoors during summer or can enter homes and find potted plants indoors. They are typically found in the soil of overwatered houseplants. Springtails can also infest houseplants with potting soil that is high in organic matter such as peat.
3. What kind of harm can they inflict on plants?
Fortunately, they are not damaging to plants. They are just interested in feeding on fungi found in the soil and not on healthy plant parts. If springtails are found feeding on roots, it’s because the roots are rotting or decaying.
4. What is the best management for these insects?
Springtails do not tolerate dry conditions so your best bet is to reduce the moisture in the soil. Change your watering schedule so plants receive sufficient moisture but the soil surface is allowed to dry. Be careful not to allow plants to wilt. Insecticides are not an option as there are not any products labeled for use in houseplant soil. Also many of the insecticides that are available today are not very effective against springtails.
