pics included...what are these

tiny white bugs that's floating in the run off after a heavy watering/flush

the move non stop and hop around like fleas

almost thought it was like a foam or bubbles in the water until I realized there bugs

growing in soil

I dumped some straight pyrethrin on them and they died quick

Have you identified them? Root aphids?

Springtails?

They are beneficial insects, springtails. They break down dead material and fungus, yeast etc. Shouldn't have used chemicals till you knew what they were.

Norby Grown said:

They are beneficial insects, springtails. They break down dead material and fungus, yeast etc. Shouldn't have used chemicals till you knew what they were.

Click to expand...

lol

thanks

after some research they do appear to be springtails and fit the description perfectly

so glad there not root aphids

the pyrethrin wasn't used on my plants

I only put a speck in the standing water of the tray to see the response

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/houseplant-pests/springtail-control/

from what ive read theyre relatively mild but can still reduce vigor in plants so I wil be working on killing them but I wont be freaking out about it lol

says theyrll eat your roots a wee bit

maybe look into predators

likely they came from my worm bin

wow

I feel super relieved

feel like a dodged a bullet

I was all set to bang my head on the wall thinking the worst that it was root aphids

question
so will spring tails spread to other mediums like DWC or coco ?

yeah they will. we had them in gravel runoff in the 4x8's

They don't "reduce vigor" in plants. That's just false. They feed off dead matter and turn it into fertilizer. Where'd you hear they reduce vigor of plants?

if they bug you a spritz of (olive) oil/soap/water at the surface when wet will kill them all at once up there.
plants do fine in dirt without them, but they are naturally occurring and beneficial too so I leave them be.
I have no worm bin and I've never seen a pot of dirt without them......
likely in the dirt itself when purchased

Norby Grown said:

They don't "reduce vigor" in plants. That's just false. They feed off dead matter and turn it into fertilizer. Where'd you hear they reduce vigor of plants?

Click to expand...

the link

from planet natural

above

Springtails are attracted to excessive moisture and organic material. They live in soil or under decaying wood or bark, thriving in areas with leaf litter, compost and organic mulches. Springtails feed on molds, fungi, algae and decaying plant material. (hardly avoidable growing in dirt/peat)
but then
Springtails are mostly a nuisance pest, doing little damage to plants. They will chew roots in the soil where they're located, and can inhibit plant hardiness. But they seldom do major damage.

I see no issues with them. the later in flower the more there are. the wetter the soil the higher the population.
I'd say they are a key to successful plant expressions. I have them and always have great success. in and out of the garden come to think of it. because springtails

im4satori said:

the link

from planet natural

above

Click to expand...

Planet natural? Doesn't seem like a good source to me.