Need help identify this tiny bug I caught (pics)

Ivers

Ivers

Active Member
Hello again, I've had these super tiny jumpy bugs in my soil as long as I can remember.
I clean my tents every grow (tried cleaning with permethrin as well) to make these fckers not come back and changed to a new soil (plagron) still these small little bastards come back every grow, this time on my 2 week old clones.

Those I've seen earlier have been more white than this I caught now, they seem to have 4 legs and 2 "antennas"/feelers. They are so small I can't say for sure it's not 6 legs but I've seen at least 4 visible legs.
When I caught it, it acted as if I gave it meth, it jumped around so fast it looked like it was teleporting 1-3 cm.

I usually don't see them at all, they come to the soil surface when I water and then disappear after 30 seconds. Never have they been spotted on the plant stems/leaves, I've only seen them wandering around lost on the floor between/under pots or in the soil as mentioned.

Also they don't seem to develop wings, I've never seen anyone flying around in there, so I don't think they are fungus gnats. Had gnats earlier and they where much bigger. The one I caught on the picture seem to be mature and are one of the bigger ones that I've seen. The smaller ones are more has more a gel-like white color.
IMG-20161221-WA0002-1.jpg IMG-20161221-WA0000-1.jpg IMG-20161221-WA0001.jpg IMG-20161221-WA0001-2.jpg

Any help in order to identify and remove these bugs will be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Edit: Also, are they good or bad?
If they're good and you guys agree on that then I guess there's no worries, but I fear they suck.
 
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Springtails. They are not harmful to humans or plants and are present in out topsoil in millions.

they prefer to feed on leaf mold and come in from outside where they can be found under the fallen leaves.

They are attracted to moisture.

I have them in my pots but the dry style I use seems to kill most of them as they reproduce. They are considered beneficial as they eat the rot from roots in the soil. Natural cleaners kinda.

They are resistant to just about everything is my understanding but are only really a nuisance. But they won't go away until they want to.

I didn't see them this summer. But they are back now.
 
Thank you MedGrower, I'm so happy to hear they are beneficial!
Going to change to a more dry environment now as the clone have rooted. Just so that I don't need to be reminded that they'really there all the time :bigjoint:
 
Ivers said:
Thank you MedGrower, I'm so happy to hear they are beneficial!
Going to change to a more dry environment now as the clone have rooted. Just so that I don't need to be reminded that they'really there all the time :bigjoint:
Click to expand...

Insects in the grow room are not good.

Use yellow sticky traps to keep track of the population and try not over water your soil, applying water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry
 
Dr. John Hopkins said:
Insects in the grow room are not good.

Use yellow sticky traps to keep track of the population and try not over water your soil, applying water when the top 2 inches of soil are dry
Click to expand...

They are springtails. They do not fly. You are talking about how to control fungus gnats. Every university agriculture department will have a page on springtails. And they are resistant to everything. There are hundreds of thousands per yard of topsoil in most of the US.
 
Dr. John Hopkins said:
Oh that would be why. I am in New Zealand
Click to expand...

Yes I am sure the local bugs are way different. There are quite a few varieties of this one. One kind is black and I think there may be a stage in mine that color.

They are called "snow fleas" and can be seen jumping on the top of the snow here if you look real close. They are tiny. But jump like fleas.


They really are beneficial as they clean the roots of dead plant matter but they get out of hand real easy.

And dry pots like you say helps some. They get sucked out motionless with the runoff.
 
I just need to add to it that I have not discovered a single one after I stopped overwatering.
They where all gone 4 - 7 days after identification and I'm positive they where springtails.

Again thanks to you Michiganmeds, plants looking really good at this point! :bigjoint::peace:
 
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