Springtail Control Products and How To Get Rid of Springtails

What are Springtails ?

Springtails are very small insects(about 1/16 inch), with white or gray coloring. springtails They have a forked appendage that moves suddenly, causing them to jump. They look like they are "springing".

What are the Springtail Habits?

Springtails like moisture. They feed on funi, algae, mold, decaying vegetation. They can be found in large amounts in mulched areas. After a prolonged rainy spell, they can be seen on the surface of swimming pools that look like scum or mats. Springtails may be found in bath traps, around hot tubs, in humid crawl spaces, under mulched areas, under patio slabs, under logs, wood chips, pinestraw and other areas that are prone to high moisture.

Where can you find them inside?

They can be found in damp places like kitchens and bathrooms, around drains, moist basements, soil of potted plants, and window frames.

Can Springtails cause damage ?

No, but they are a supreme nuisance because of their large numbers. They may be found in multiple sites; places with high humidity. Treat as many nesting sites as you can find.

Springtail Control

Springtails are frequently found in new homes feeding on surface mold growing on structural wood that became wet during construction. A season or two of heating and cooling the home will dry out the wood in the walls. Once this wood dries to the point where it will no longer grow any mold or fungus, the springtail population will gradually decrease until it is gone. Fix any area indoors that retains moisture, such as leaks around sinks, windows and doors.

Outdoors, look for possible nesting areas such as mulched areas, under pinestraw or logs. Broadcast a granulated insecticide such as Demand G with a Spreader. This would wash in with rain, getting to the source and less likely to just stay on the surface. This would penetrate the mulch and get to the source.

In addition, use Onslaught ( Onslaught 16 oz yields 16 gallons), Fenvastar Plus (makes 4 gallons), Transport Mikron (makes 25 gallons), or Arilon as a perimeter treatment. This treament helps keep springtails from entering the structure. Indoors, a dehumidifier can make the indoor environment uncomfortably dry for springtails. In severe infestations or when a quick temporary knockdown of the population is desired inside, pesticides can be useful. Indoor applications can be made to cracks and crevices and spot applications using Alpine aerosol or Talstar Aerosol.

We have a Springtail Control Kit with Demand G (25 lb bag), Onslaught Insecticide (16 oz) and Alpine Aerosol PT combined to save money.