1 mm white larvae crawling in soil occassionally jumpy

[0xygen]

what the hell are they?
I've tried searching online for something fitting the description, but can't figure it out.
There are these tiny tiny barely noticeable white one millimeter larvae that have started to appear on the surface of the soil. They crawl underneath that very top layer. And they jump.
What will they become?
How does one get rid of them?
We're growing in coco coir.. well now we are. Three of the plants are clowns from some plants we had growing outside, which I (in hindsight, quite stupidly) at first planted in regular soil, that had been lying in a bag in the backyard.. A bit too eager to get it all done.. Either way, they could have come from outside..
Anyway, what are they and what can i do? and if i need to use pesticides, any organic homemade remedy for that? or something along those lines...

 

[BakedasBeans]

You have springtails my friend. They dont really do any harm to your plants so there isnt too much to worry about. Most species of springtails live off of decaying material so some people think they can even be benneficial eating away bad roots ect. I have had them more than once. Where I used to live, if I put my bag of soil in the garage for any longer than a day i would get them every time. Sounds like this is how you got them. Ive never had them give my plants any health issues but they still bother me. I used treatments of azamax every few days. Its organic which is why I used it.(I wouldnt use heavy artilary because it could hurt your plants worse than the springtails). The azamax does a pretty go job with them but they can be tricky to completely erradicate. But take comfort in knowing its not something horrible like root aphids. Hope this helps. :passingjoint:

 

[galaxyuser]

hmmm jumping larvae naver heard of that one.
do they look like this:

springtails seem a good answer especially since they jump. they really are beneficial they actually eat pythium and detrimental fungus that attacks dead and decaying material as stated above

wikipedia quote
"Relationship with humans
Tomocerus sp. from Germany

Springtails are well known as pests of some agricultural crops. Sminthurus viridis, the 'lucerne flea', has been shown to cause severe damage to agricultural crops,[18] and is considered as a pest in Australia.[19] Also Onychiuridae are known to feed on tubers and to damage them to some extent.[20] However, by their capacity to carry spores of mycorrhizal fungi and mycorrhiza-helper bacteria on their tegument, soil springtails play a positive role in the establishment of plant-fungal symbioses and thus are beneficial to agriculture.[21] They also contribute to controlling plant fungal diseases through their active consumption of mycelia and spores of damping-off and pathogenic fungi.[22] It has been suggested that they could be reared to be used for the control of pathogenic fungi in greenhouses and other indoor cultures.[23]

Various sources and publications have suggested that some springtails may parasitize humans, but this is entirely inconsistent with their biology, and no such phenomenon has ever been scientifically confirmed, though it has been documented that the scales or hairs from collembolans can cause irritation when rubbed onto the skin.[24] They may sometimes be abundant indoors in damp places such as bathrooms and basements, and incidentally found on one's person.

More often, claims of persistent human skin infection by springtails may indicate a neurological problem, such as Morgellons Syndrome, or delusory parasitosis, a psychological rather than entomological problem. Researchers themselves may be subject to psychological phenomena. For example, a publication in 2004 claiming that springtails had been found in skin samples was later determined to be a case of pareidolia; that is, no springtail specimens were actually recovered, but the researchers had digitally enhanced photos of sample debris to create images resembling small arthropod heads, which then were claimed to be springtail remnants.[25] However, Hopkin reports one instance of an entomologist aspirating an Isotoma species and in the process accidentally inhaling some of their eggs, which hatched in his nasal cavity and made him quite ill until they were flushed out.[8]"

if this is what they are be thankful they are not root aphids (as was stated above) or the dreaded spider mite!!

 

[0xygen]

Ah, so that's what they are! Well, then that doesn't sound too bad for the plants. Bit worse for me, having to face my insect phobia.

Thanks for the replies :)
Very much appreciated!

 

[haze1son]

Funny thing, I was searching threads and other web sites to try to find out what this tiny bug I see flushing out of my trays by the hundred when I feed. I couldnt find anything about them till I found this thread. I was worried that I had a horrible infestation and might lose my crop was trying to figure out how to defend myself. I am relieved to find out that this is what they are. I am also using coco for the first time, maybe they like coco. I dunno...

 

[Melvan]

All bugs are bad bugs in the end. I would suggest spraying the top of the soil with a pesticide to kill them. They are not suppose to be a part of the grow environment and they could have unexpected adverse affects.

Bugs are also good for carrying all kinds of wonderful spores on their bodies, transferring them easily from plant to plant.

The only good bug, except for our friend the ladybug, is a dead bug.

 

[iscrog4food]

All bugs are bad bugs in the end. I would suggest spraying the top of the soil with a pesticide to kill them. They are not suppose to be a part of the grow environment and they could have unexpected adverse affects.

Bugs are also good for carrying all kinds of wonderful spores on their bodies, transferring them easily from plant to plant.

The only good bug, except for our friend the ladybug, is a dead bug.

I think that without evidence to support this statement then it is simply an opinion. I have no experience with springtails but i think it is a bit ignorant to rule out the possibility that they could be beneficial. Consider that the micros we put in our soil and the PM that takes many crops are both fungi and have very different effects one beneficial and one harmful. It is easy to create a false mental model simply because all of our experiences with bugs are negative so bugs are bad but what about earthworms, predetory mites, predetory nematodes, and ladybugs (as you mentioned).

 

[Fred]

Sounds like Fungus gnat larvae to me. I have seen this many times. Really have to look close to see them. Squirmy lil bastards come to top when you water and some pools on the top of the medium. Then quickly squirm back under the medium as the water soaks in.

Never heard of springtails.


fred

 

[mittenmedgrow]

Hey melvan u need to do some research there are many beneficial insects.

 

[Melvan]

In the end, if you don't know 100% for sure what they are then you need to destroy them because you don't know what they might do, that's not ignorant, (what a rude word, I hate to use it), it's just good sense.

 

[Seamaiden]

It's important to delineate between "ignorant" and "stupid". Each has its own proper application and place. Coming from the aquatic world I come from, my own stance is to leave it be and wait to see if it causes a problem, instead of assuming all are bad.

What the OP describes sound just like springtails which are, in my opinion, generally as innocuous as bristle worms.

 

[BakedasBeans]

Sounds like Fungus gnat larvae to me. I have seen this many times. Really have to look close to see them. Squirmy lil bastards come to top when you water and some pools on the top of the medium. Then quickly squirm back under the medium as the water soaks in.

Never heard of springtails.


fred

If they jump they are springtails. They have a forklike thing under their abdomen that "springs" them up making it look like they jump. There are more than one species of springtails and not all do this. Just google springtails and there is plenty on them. Going by the OP's discription I am positive thats what they are.

 

[Fred]

Just checked them out and they don't sound too bad. I have the gnat larvae and never seen the springtails but it sounds like they will infest your house and end up hopping around everywhere like fleas. For that reason I would have to get rid of them.


fred

 

[BakedasBeans]

Ya thats the reason I try to get rid of them anytime I see them. Just the thought of those things hopping all over my floor creaps me out. And if you have them its not even worth it to kepp any soil around as they will infest it within a few days if that. Now I just buy new soil everytime I need to transplant and throw out whatevers left over.

 

[0xygen]

most certainly they are springtails, they jump.. although i don't have a microscope, but they fit the description. thought they were larvae originally, since they're soooo tiny and look like a straight line.. just as long as they're no harm..

 

[Ohiofarmer]

If they are on your roots and you can see them eating the roots, then they are fungal gnat larvae. if their moving through the soil like worms and are a transparent to whitish color then they are nematodes. they sound like nematodes to me. If their the transparent to whitish color ones then that means you have a very healthy root and soil system going and should not remove the little worms under any circumstance, however if their brown and/or spotted brown that means they are a parasitic nematode and you should do somthing to kill them immediatly. Hope this helps out and hope you have a great harvest! Take it easy man

 

[ojd]

put a 1 inch layer of gardening sand on the top of soil/coco and water
problem solved


peace

 

[Rootbound]

Blind Springtails

Google blind springtail for pics and info. I had them in coco a few times. RB

 

[0xygen]

did they cause any damage to your plants? what did you do with them?

 

[brookstown]

All bugs are bad bugs in the end. I would suggest spraying the top of the soil with a pesticide to kill them. They are not suppose to be a part of the grow environment and they could have unexpected adverse affects.

Bugs are also good for carrying all kinds of wonderful spores on their bodies, transferring them easily from plant to plant.

The only good bug, except for our friend the ladybug, is a dead bug.

lol