Springtails

 

Springtails are very small, primitive arthropods that are commonly found in soil, leaf litter, and other areas of moisture.  They are wonderful for compost piles as decomposers that feed on decaying vegetation, fungi, algae, lichen, and bacteria, breaking the items down into usable nutrients.

Springtails can reach up to 10 mm but most are around 1-2 mm in size.  They have various body shapes and colors, six legs and are wingless. Springtails get their name from the way that they propel themselves forward through the air.  Most springtails have a forked organ called the furcula that comes off the tip of the abdomen.  The furcula can be curled under the body and hook into an organ called the retinaculum.  When the furcula is released from the retinaculum, it pushes the springtail up and into the air making it look as if it’s jumping.

Springtails are often drawn to areas of moisture which can lead them into ponds, swimming pools, potted plants, or well-watered raised beds.  While typically found outdoors, they can move indoors with plants or in search of areas of moisture such as a water leak.

If springtails are outdoors, leave them as they are essential decomposers.  If you find them indoors, it is a signal that there is a moisture issue nearby; seek out and remedy the source of moisture to make the area less habitable for any springtails.

This work is supported by the USDA-NIFA Extension Implementation Program, project award no. 2024-70006-43508, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.