The world of springtails is truly fascinating.

Curious minds around the world often ask themselves this question before even considering raising or going near springtails:

Are springtails harmful? How will they react near humans, pets, and in certain ecosystems?

First, and foremost – springtails are friendly creatures that can be beneficial to the environment. Secondly, they can be quite an invasive species. I’ll tell you why.

In this article “Are Springtails Harmful To Humans, Pets, And Ecosystems,” you will learn:

• The brief introduction of springtails
• Whether they are harmful or not

If you’re familiar with springtails, feel free to use the table of content and skipped the first section of this guide.

Disclaimer: There may be Amazon affiliate links on VivariumTips.com – When users purchase through an affiliate link, there will be no additional cost to the purchaser. Instead, I will earn a commission from your purchases. 

Springtails: Brief Introduction

If you’re reading this springtail guide, chances are that you’re interested in raising and keeping these hexapods. These little critters can survive extreme temperatures by making use of the availability of protein in their bodies.

They’re a large deal when it comes to helping run the ecosystem. The reason why springtails are beneficial is that they’re able to consume unnecessary waste such as decaying matter, bacteria, and mold.

Did you know? 

Many vivarium tank owners keep springtails as pets to help the environment in their ecosystem.

Now – do you think springtails are harmful? Let’s see.

Are Springtails Harmful?

Let’s move down the list and see how springtails react towards certain subjects.

Humans + Springtails

When it comes to humans and springtails, these hexapods aren’t harmful to humans. Although, they can be quite hectic if you’re trying to catch them or clean them after being scattered everywhere.

• Springtails do not bite humans
• They don’t damage food-related products
• Your furniture and clothes are safe. They have no interest in that.

Pets + Springtails

Similar to humans, springtails aren’t harmful to pets. Whether it’s your aquatic pets or reptile creatures, springtails have no interest in them. If you have tiny geckos or fish, chances are – they’ll consume these springtails.

• Springtails can become food for your reptile pet(s)
• They can float on water, which is another source of food for your aquatic pet(s)
• They have no interest in animals, which means zero harm.

But don’t worry! 

An entire army of springtails can reproduce as quickly as becoming three meals a day for your pet.

Depending on the temperature, springtails can reproduce at a rapid rate.

Ecosystems + Springtails

You can find springtails just about anywhere. You can find them outside in your garden or even in the forest.

Do springtails actually harm the ecosystem?

No, springtails do not harm the ecosystem. In fact – they are actually beneficial. Springtails are so beneficial to where they even earned the nickname ‘janitor’ from people.

They will clean up the decaying matter in almost any type of ecosystem. They can survive extreme temperatures. They’re almost everywhere. 

By being on the bottom of the food chain, springtails help sustain the life cycle in all aspects.

Springtail-Related Questions

Now that you have an understanding of whether springtails are harmful or not – I will answer common springtail questions related to this article. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to comment below.

Do Springtails Carry Disease?

No, springtails aren’t known to carry pathogens nor disease according to CannaGardening.com

Do Springtails Crawl On Humans?

In the United States and Canada alone, there are numerous species of springtails. It’s estimated to be in the hundreds. These creatures live in damp areas where they can consume fungi, bacteria, and other decaying matter. Springtails aren’t attracted to humans.

Can Springtails Infest Your House?

For some homeowners, springtails can be mistaken as fleas. After all – these guys are nicknamed ‘snow fleas’ to begin with. Springtails don’t enter homes for no reason.

The only time they will enter your house is if:

• They discover a moisty part of your house such as the bathroom for example
• They will infest areas where there is mold. This is a great indicator to find out that you need to solve your mold problem.

Can Springtails Live In Your Hair?

Springtails won’t live in your hair as they’re not parasitic to humans. These hexapods are more known as a nuisance.

Are Springtails More Active At Night?

If you didn’t know, springtails used to be considered insects. That all changed. Today, people describe them as hexapods.

Springtails are known to be more active during the afternoon until the golden hour. So no, they are not more active during night time.

Where Do Springtails Bugs Come From?

Springtails can be found almost anywhere where there is moisture in areas like soil, decaying plants, etc. You can also find them under giant rocks/stones, logs, etc.

If you have any more questions, feel free to comment right below this article. I’ll be glad to answer your question as soon as possible and I’ll even update the question to this section to help future readers.

From VivariumTips,

Overall, from my personal research and discussion with several springtail enthusiasts – they are completely harmless to humans, pets, and the environment/ecosystem.

Although they can be considered a nuisance, you shouldn’t have to worry about damages and harm coming from these guys.

If you love learning about springtails, be sure to check out my other springtail-related articles:

• What Do You Feed Springtails?
• Temperate Vs. Tropical Springtails
• Finding Springtails For Sale Online
• Using Springtails As Mold Control
• How To Catch Springtails In The Wild?
• How To Remove Mites In Springtail Culture?

If this springtail guide helped you in any way, don’t forget to share with a friend to help support VivariumTips.com 🙂

You can purchase springtails online. For a list of collections, click here.

The post Are Springtails Harmful To Humans, Pets, And Ecosystems? appeared first on VivariumTips.

What do springtails eat? What to feed springtails? What, how, why?

Yes – I agree. When you’re adding a completely new type of species to your ecosystem, the questions piling up can be quite overwhelming.

Fortunately, for you – this guide will cover it all. To give you a short answer, springtails consume:

• Decaying Matter (Plants, Animals, Etc.)
• Mold
• Bacteria
• Fungi

There’s more to that than you should know.

In this guide “What To Feed Springtails: Cheat-Sheet For Dummies,” you will learn:

• The brief introduction of springtails
• The benefits of having them in your ecosystem
• What you can feed springtails to sustain your army

Below is the table of content for this guide. Go ahead and jump straight to the section you’re looking for, but I recommend reading from beginning to end just to avoid missing important pieces of information.

Disclaimer: There may be Amazon affiliate links on VivariumTips.com – When users purchase through an affiliate link, there will be no additional cost to the purchaser. Instead, I will earn a commission from your purchases. 

What Are Springtails?

For those who are curious about springtails, they are tiny hexapods that can survive harsh temperatures by using proteins in their body. These little critters can largely impact the ecosystem in positive ways and I’ll tell you why in a moment.

Did you know?

The name, ‘snow fleas’ describes springtails due to their ability to move from place to place. And no – these guys aren’t fleas!

According to Wikipedia’s description of springtails, their scientific name is Collembola. There are certain types that vivarium owners love:

• Temperate Springtails
• Tropical Springtails

I even wrote an article recently about the difference when it comes to temperate vs. tropical springtails. This might help provide you with an idea of what to get for your tank!

The Benefits of Springtails

The reason why many individuals are interested in keeping springtails in their tank is due to the numerous benefits that these creatures hold.

List of Benefits:

1. They feed on decaying matter. You don’t want dead stuff in your tank rotting and the removal process for tanks with tons of litter can overwhelm a person.
2. Springtails can reproduce at a decent rate, which can also serve as little meals for your pets. Springtails dinner buffet style for your pets?
3. They can travel and clean your substrates with dead stuff like worms, flies, etc.
4. They can produce a positive type of fungi in your garden.
5. Mold control! Springtails will consume unnecessary mold wherever it goes! I even wrote an article about using springtails as mold control – I highly urge you to check it out.

These little critters are important to the ecosystem as you can already see. When your mini-ecosystem is dealing with mold or potential problems, having springtails can be an effective solution.

What Do Springtails Eat?

Did you already make the decision on keeping springtails in your tank? Let’s discuss the type of things you can feed these little critters.

Decaying Plant/Animal Matter

Whether it’s your garden, nature, or your mini-ecosystem – we can agree that these dead plants can create an upsetting image in the person’s eyes.

With springtails, they will feed on these decaying plants, and in return – they will create a cleaner environment.

After all – these guys can be a great meal to bigger creatures in the wild. They can reproduce quickly depending on the type of environment they’re in.

Dealing with dead worms, insects, etc.? Springtails, like zombies will feed on these guys.

Mold, Mold, And More Mold…

Ahhh… having mold is every person’s worse enemy. They’re useless, they grow on you, and can cause damage. Well – springtails love to consume them!

Did you know?

If you encounter springtails in your home (hopefully, not), there’s a chance that you might be dealing with serious mold growing somewhere. You should call an expert before the damage becomes even worse!

Check this out:

• How To Use Springtails As Mold Control

The article above is for vivarium owners only! This might give you a few great ideas to maximize your usage of springtails.

Bacteria

Vivarium owners can all agree that having bad bacteria can cause a lot of harm and damage to their tank/ecosystem. With springtails, they will consume bacteria and help clean your tank.

Oh hey – the circle of life. They will serve as a great meal for your reptiles/aquatic pets as well!

What To Feed Springtails?

Now you might be wondering – since springtails can feed on all of the stuff mentioned above, should you be feeding them as well?

Feeding them isn’t costly! They are your janitors after all, so maybe we should start paying them. 💡

Sure – let’s pay them with more food!

If you ever believe that there’s a shortage of food for your springtails, you can try feeding your springtails:

• Fish Food (flakes, pellets, etc.)
• Dry Baker’s Yeast
• Brewer’s Yeast

With brewer’s yeast, the cost averages out to a dollar a pound. This can last an entire year for most tank owners!

• Uncooked Rice
• Insect Parts
• Instant Oat Cereal

From collecting and gathering data online, it appears that most people prefer and recommend brewer’s yeast the most.

You can check out the pricing here.

With brewer’s yeast, you can sprinkle the surface lightly.

From VivariumTips,

Hopefully, this guide will give you an idea of what to feed springtails. In my opinion, you don’t really have to feed them as often. They will feed on unnecessary waste wherever you place them.

You should feed them only if you believe that there’s a shortage of food for them. By feeding them properly, the population of springtails should be able to balance itself.

If you enjoyed “What To Feed Springtails: Cheat-Sheet For Dummies,” you might also enjoy these springtail-related articles:

• Temperate Vs. Tropical Springtails
• Finding Springtails For Sale Online
• Using Springtails As Mold Control
• How To Catch Springtails In The Wild?
• How To Remove Mites In Springtail Culture?

If you have any springtail-related questions, feel free to comment below!

You can support VivariumTips.com by sharing any articles on this blog with a friend or community! 🙂

The post What To Feed Springtails: Cheat-Sheet For Dummies! appeared first on VivariumTips.

While pet owners begin to understand more about springtails due to the power of spreading messages across the internet, there is a certain description for these little critters.

Did you know?

One common springtail comparison is between temperate springtails and tropical springtails.

So what’s the difference when it comes to temperate vs. tropical springtails?

One of them can be described as a janitor while the other can be described as a meal for larger animals.

In this article “Temperate Vs. Tropical Springtails,” you will learn:

• General information regarding temperate springtails
• General information regarding tropical springtails
• What each of them does
• How they are used

Below is the table content. For faster navigation to specific topics, feel free to use it right below.

Disclaimer: There may be Amazon affiliate links on VivariumTips.com – When users purchase through an affiliate link, there will be no additional cost to the purchaser. Instead, I will earn a commission from your purchases. 

Difference Between Temperate And Tropical Springtails

So what’s the difference between these two? Why should you know? To learn about reproduction and how springtails react to certain temperatures, it’s important to understand temperate and tropical.

Temperate Springtails

Temperate springtails are springtails that are much smaller than the tropical ones.

These little critters prefer to stay in a moist, cool, and wet areas. For a short amount of time, they can withstand extreme temperatures.

Their size is generally smaller than tropical springtails.

Tropical Springtails

Temperate springtails are springtails that live in warm temperatures, which is also known for their rate of reproduction in vivarium tanks.

According to several owners, tropical springtails typically requires less attention. These guys prefer warmth and moist areas in order to reproduce better.

If they aren’t in a warm environment, you can expect the reproduction rate to slow down.

What’s the difference appearance-wise?

Tropical springtails can appear plumper while temperate springtails can be seen as thin and long.  Tropical springtails are usually twice the size of a temperate springtail.

Both of these guys are tiny hexapods with an insect-like appearance.

How These Springtails Are Used?

For the record, the majority of vivarium tank owners use springtails as food for reptiles/fish as well as using them to help decompose waste. The type of springtails you want depends on your tank environment.

You have to ask yourself –

Will this type of springtail go well with my tank environment?

Once you understand its compatibility and the environment, you should be able to add the proper kind of springtails to your tank.

Many vivarium owners use springtails for these reasons:

• Help remove decaying matter (plants, insects, etc.)
• They can spread good fungi
• They are beneficial to mini-ecosystems such as serving as food for your reptiles/aquatic animals.

Springtail-Related Questions

Here are the questions commonly asked in regards to springtails. Hopefully, this will answer some of the questions you’re in search of.

Where can I buy springtails?

You can buy springtails on popular e-commerce websites like Amazon. You can also find them at your local pet stores. Since many businesses are closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s recommended that you purchase them online. Click here to see where you can buy them.

How can I use my springtails as mold control?

You can use your springtails as mold control by introducing them to your moldy ecosystem. They will help clear unnecessary waste, which benefits the vivarium tank owner.

Can you catch springtails in the wild?

Fortunately, you can catch springtails in the wild. You can find all the steps and ideas provided in this article from VivariumTips to help you catch your very first set of springtails.

How do I remove mites from springtail culture?

If you’re dealing with an issue where mites are invading your springtail culture, I wrote an article explaining how you can separate them properly. This article contains 7 steps to separate these two creatures from each other.

How fast do springtails reproduce?

These little critters can reproduce at a rapid rate. During the beginning stage as an egg, they can grow into an adult within 6 weeks.

From VivariumTips,

Hopefully, this article helped you understand the basic information between a temperate springtail and a tropical springtail.

You can find many springtail-related articles on VivariumTips.com to satisfy your needs for knowledge.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below.

The best way to support this website is to share any articles on here with a friend or community! 🙂

Purchase Springtails For Your Ecosystem!

The post Temperate Vs. Tropical Springtails: Learn The Difference. appeared first on VivariumTips.

Even when dealing with an inevitable situation, solutions are all over the internet.

For numerous vivarium owners (example: aquarium), there are benefits to keeping isopods and springtails in their mini-ecosystem.

There are many reasons why pet owners can’t find any isopods and springtails for sale.

• Pet stores could be out of stock.
• Businesses shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Pet owners don’t live nearby any pet stores.
• Pet owners are struggling to find them at many pet stores.

There are many other reasons, but above is a list so you can get an idea.

But there’s a way you can obtain these guys:

One of the greatest things about the evolution of the internet is that pet owners can purchase these little critters online!

So where do you have to go to purchase these guys exactly?

In this article “Exploring Isopods And Springtails For Sale,” you will discover a list of vendors providing these little critters for your mini-ecosystem.

Disclaimer: There may be Amazon affiliate links on VivariumTips.com – When users purchase through an affiliate link, there will be no additional cost to the purchaser. Instead, I will earn a commission from your purchases. 

Isopods Vs. Springtails: What’s The Difference?

Now – what do you think the difference is between isopods and springtails?

What Are Isopods?

When it comes to isopods, the term can be quite broad. There are numerous species out there. To give you a better definition:

Isopods are best described as marine invertebrates. These are generally creatures without backbones.

Several examples of isopods can be crabs or shrimps. The one that’s best comparable to springtails are known as Isopoda, which includes woodlice.

Did you know?

There are at least 10,000 types of isopods discovered.

Although they are on the bottom of the food chain, isopods generally play an important role in the ecosystem.  These little critters help decompose waste and can serve as a meal for bigger animals.

List of benefits:

• Helps with soil in the ecosystem
• Nutrient cycling

What Are Springtails?

Unlike isopods where it’s a broad term, the term springtail is specific which also comes from a family of hexapods.

The scientific name for the springtail is Collembola.

According to many vivarium owners, springtails can be a great addition to your ecosystem since they help remove a lot of unnecessary waste.

Before moving forward to the list of vendors, you can check out springtail-related articles for additional guides.

• How To Use Springtails As Mold Control?
• How To Catch Springtails In The Wild?
• How To Remove Mites In Springtail Culture?

Similar to woodlice, springtails are much smaller and reproduce much quicker. As you can see from a few of the articles that I listed above, there are great benefits.

• Springtails can feed on decaying plants
• They will consume dangerous fungi
• They help decompose animal matter (insects, worms, etc.)

Isopods And Springtails For Sale

Now that you have a brief understanding between the two, I’m going to provide you a list of vendors so you can purchase these little critters online.

Feel free to choose the vendor that you’re most content with. I’ll be giving a brief review of each of the products.

Pocket Pets – 30 Roly-Polies 

In this order, you will receive a minimum of 30 roly-polies. These little guys are also known as isopods or potato bugs. When ordering the package, you can expect your roly-polies to come inside of a container shipped in styrofoam.

While the minimum of roly-polies is 30, you can expect a little more. Pocket Pets usually provide extras for the purchaser. If you contact any problems after receiving the order, don’t hesitate to contact Pocket Pets. From what it seems, they value customer satisfaction a lot.

E-Z Botanicals – Live Springtails

When you order springtails from E-Z Botanicals, you will receive a 16-ounce container. These springtails will be alive by the time of arrival. If for any reason you find these springtails dead, you can immediately contact the vendor and they’ll fix the issue for you.

In the vendor’s page, they stated that CO2 buildup can occur. You should check your container carefully and immediately once they arrive at your mailing location.

Critters Direct – Live Springtails + Dwarf White Isopods

This vendor, Critters Direct provides a package for buyers to purchase both isopods and springtails. The type of isopod that customers will receive is dwarf white. In this package, you will receive a minimum of 25 isopods and an 8-ounce container of springtails.

For springtails, you will get a mixed combination of adults and young ones.

Ficarro Farms – Organically Raised Isopods

According to Ficarro Farms, their isopods are organically raised. While there are several unhappy buyers due to missing isopods or dead ones, there are also good comments about this vendor.

Again, if you do encounter any situation where the product is not as described – you should definitely contact the vendor to help fix your order.

xyzReptiles – Orange Isopods

Yes – that’s right. There are orange isopods available online as well. zyzReptiles provide customers with orange roly-polies for your paludarium or any other vivariums that they’re compatible with.

While the vendor mentioned that customers will receive 10 orange isopods, there have been numerous reports of customers receiving more than 10. Most customers say that they received double the amount.

Pocket Pets – Orange Roly-Poly

Another product provided by Pocket Pets is orange roly-polies.  In this order, buyers will receive a minimum of 5 orange isopods.

It also stated that these roly-polies are meant to be used with another Pocket Pet product, buyers can use it however they like. If you didn’t know, these little guys can grow up to half an inch long.

Josh’s Frogs – Temperate Springtail

If you’re a reptile fanatic, chances are – you’ve heard of the name Josh’s Frogs. When buying this product, you can expect to receive an 8-ounce container with springtails in it.

While several customers reported about receiving dead springtails, it’s recommended that you contact the vendor if a situation like this ever occurs.

From VivariumTips,

Hopefully, this article helped you find what you’re looking for. If you have any suggestions or recommendations, feel free to comment below. I’d be more than happy to add it to this list.

If you have any questions or feedback for “Exploring Isopods And Springtails For Sale,” don’t hesitate.

You can support VivariumTips by sharing my articles and help spread the word. 🙂

The post Exploring Isopods And Springtails For Sale – 7 Vendors appeared first on VivariumTips.

It can also mean the end of life for your springtails.

If you’re ever in this situation, what are you going to do? After all, having springtails can provide many benefits for your ecosystem.

In this guide about mites in springtail culture, you will learn:

• How to remove these destructive mites that are causing harm to the springtails.
• What you’ll need.
• The process of removal.

You can navigate through this guide faster with the table of content below.

Mites In Springtail Culture

It doesn’t really take much for one’s springtail culture to get filled with mites. Mites usually hang out under the lid just waiting to be fed when they attracted to a certain springtail culture.

Did you know? 💡 Most people won’t even notice the mites until they are well established in their springtail culture.

The Supplies That You Will Need

In order to cleanse your springtail culture from any mites that might have settled in you will need a few items.

The Checklist:

• A clean and sterile container is necessary for this process, many vivarium owners would recommend a Rubbermaid container since it seals tightly. This will help make the removal easier. –
• You will also need a pan but it must have high sides.
• A bowl preferably a standard cereal one.
• You will also need two straws that are taped end to end.
• A few paper towels
• Rubbing alcohol is another requirement.
• Finally, you need your chosen method of harvesting the springtails

Are you ready to save the springtail culture?

The Process To Saving Your Springtail’s Culture

Below is a step-by-step guide for the process into saving your springtails:

Step 1: Make sure your supplies and your tabletop are both thoroughly clean, if a few mites are found on either your supplies or table your efforts will go to waste. 

After all, our goal is to save as many springtails as possible.

Step 2: You’ll need to fill about 2/3 and 3/4 of your bowl with water.

By using this preferred harvesting method, you will harvest a large portion of springtails from the culture.

Step 3: Using a paper towel wet with rubbing alcohol, clean your table once more as well as the outside of your bowl.

Tip: If any mites were transferred, make sure that they were transferred in the bowl of water only and nowhere else.

Step 4: Now you have to carefully place your bowl in the pan.

Step 5: Using your straw, gently blow (preferably at an angle) on the springtails in order to separate the clean springtails from the mites.

Blowing has to be done very gently otherwise your efforts are in vain.

Step 6: Remove the bowl from the pan and set it aside.

Step 7: Now dump the clean springtails in the new clean, sterile container and feed them 100% active yeast.

You can dispose of the dirty container now and cleanse your area with rubbing alcohol again.

Alternative Method To Saving Your Springtails

Method 1: The alternative method may be risky, however, if you are willing to take the risk you can lower the humidity a bit for a few hours.

This will not kill the springtails but will be enough to kill the mites.

Method 2: Another risky solution might be buying predatory mites, results may be different and they might even eat the springtails or their eggs. You can also put in food as bait and then take out the mites from the food clusters.

To prevent mites, you might want to consider keeping the springtail culture on Mite paper or on paper towels that are saturated with mite spray.

Keeping the container moist is very important to prevent mites, and if you notice any smell you must cut down the feeding.

Tip: Cutting down the feeding can also help kill the mites.

There are many methods of removing mites and cleansing your springtail culture from them, you must be careful when going through the process.

From VivariumTips,

If this guide about removing mites in springtail culture helped, then feel free to share to support this blog.

For articles related to springtails, you can check out:

• How To Use Springtails As Mold Control
• How To Catch Springtails In The Wild?

Leave a comment or question below and I’ll be glad to answer it. 🙂

The post How To Remove And Battle The Mites In Springtail Culture? appeared first on VivariumTips.

These creatures are pretty much useless to even exist, right?

Not necessarily. With the existence of springtails, they play a huge role in the ecosystem that you’re probably not even aware of it. The circle of life and ecosystems are all because of springtails being a great addition to the environment.

Let’s rewind a little, so you’ll get an idea of how these creatures can be used as mold control!

Disclaimer: This guide may contain affiliate links, which means that I’ll earn a commission when you purchase from it. This won’t cost you anything. By purchasing from these affiliate links, the commission will help keep this blog running with free information.

Do springtails eat mold?

Since you’re here – you’re probably wondering if springtails consume mold since the title of this article kind of spoils it.

Here’s what you should know:

When it comes to springtails consuming food, they will not consume the food directly especially with the food you are feeding. Instead, the springtails will consume the mold that grows on the food.

So yes, springtails love to feast on mold.

How to use springtails as mold control?

Whether you have a terrarium or a paludarium, you can expect that over time – mold will slowly grow.

So what’s the best way to utilize these creatures, you ask?

Step 1. First off, you need to collect springtails! You can find springtails in the wild with this guide or you can purchase them here online.

Step 2. You can introduce them to your moldy ecosystems (terrarium, paludarium, etc.)

Step 3. Over time, your springtails will consume them all.

What happens if the springtail population grows?

Nothing will happen to your ecosystem. As the springtail population grows over time and there isn’t any food left – the population will die out. This will keep a balance to your ecosystem without the worries of having a flood of springtails overtaking your build.

What do springtails eat other than mold?

Aside from being known for eating mold, springtails also eat other things that can help improve the environment. They love being in moisty conditions or areas that are damp.

So, what else do springtails consume?

You probably didn’t expect this but springtails are usually found in soil, dead plants, leaves, and wood that are rotting. The reason you find them around these types of environments is that they consume algae, dead stuff, pollen, and even fungi.

Can you find springtails in aquariums?

There’s a probable chance that you could encounter springtails in an aquarium. When springtails make contact with water, they will usually stay on the surface of the water.

Springtails can survive in water for a lengthy time. The survivability depends on whether they will be eaten by fish or other bigger creatures.

From VivariumTips,

If you didn’t know of a solution when encountering a mold problem, then I hope that this article helped you. Springtails are fantastic creatures when it comes to mold problems in your ecosystem. If you missed it, here’s a guide on how to catch springtails in the wild:

• How to catch springtails in the wild?

If you’re not sure if you want to go find them in the wild, you could always order a bunch of them online by clicking here.

If you enjoyed this article, don’t hesitate to comment on your feedback. I’m also glad to answer any of your questions if you have any. You can support VivariumTips by sharing any articles on this blog with your friends/family! 🙂

The post Using Springtails As Mold Control Cheat-Sheet! appeared first on VivariumTips.

You probably didn’t know this yet, but you can catch springtails. But how –

One question remains – your mind is wondering how to catch springtails in the wild.

How do you trap and collect them? 

Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. This springtail catching guide will cover everything you need:

• An explanation defining springtails.
• What they are attracted to.
• Places you can find them in the wild.
• The best ways to catch springtails.
• Their reproduction rate.

Are you ready to learn to catch your very own springtails?

[amazon bestseller=”live springtails” items=”2″ ]

What are springtails?

At this point, you’ve probably heard about springtails and know what they can do. What are springtails exactly?

The term ‘springtails’ comes from collembolans and they are one of the biggest of the three ancestors of the present-day hexapods. These guys are also known as “snow fleas.”

Did you know? 💡  Springtails are not considered insects even though they appear like one.

These tiny hexapods use the protein inside of their body to withstand harsh temperatures. They can hop from place to place, which is quite similar to a flea.

What are springtails attracted to?

Now that you have a better understanding of springtails, you must be wondering what they are attracted to?

Springtails are attracted to:

1. Excessive Moisture – The reason why springtails are attracted to moisture is that these creatures consume fungi and mold and they usually appear around wet spots.
2. Wet Places – These guys generally lose water above their body, so they usually migrate to a wetter place if the environment is dry.
3. Soil Beneath Decaying Wood – Springtails like to live underneath decaying wood.

Did you know? 💡 Springtails are most active when it’s the afternoon or a few hours before sunset.

With the list above, this explains why springtails are attracted to these because they consume bacteria, mold, decaying plants, and even fungi!

Where can you find springtails?

You now know what springtails are and what they’re attracted to. You want to catch these guys because you know it’ll do well for your tank – but where do you find them?

To help ease your journey, you can find springtails in the outdoors usually in soaked fields or forests.

They can actually be found almost everywhere on Earth (even Antarctica!), but let’s get a little more specific.

The best way to find springtails is if you find any location that is damp and has moisture.

Here are examples:

• Under decaying branch
• Leaf litter
• Soil
• Under rocks and stones

Did you know? 💡 Springtails can hop up to 8 inches in the air!

Now that you have an idea, let’s help you catch these springtails with 6 easy steps.

How do you catch springtails?

Now that you’re here, let’s teach you the ways into catching springtails!

• Step 1. Grab a container (deli-box size, to-go food box, etc.)
• Step 2. Place a wet paper towel inside the container and have it spread out.
• Step 3. Put the store-bought mushroom inside the container on the paper towel.
• Step 4. Take it to the spot where you found your army of springtails.
• Step 5. Cover your container with leaf litter and wait several days.
• Step 6. Jackpot!

The reason for adding a wet paper towel in step 2 is because springtails love moisture. With sliced mushroom added, leaf litter surrounding it, and it’s the perfect springtail bait!

You will attract springtails like no tomorrow with this method. You just have to find your location, add your bait, and wait a few days. Done?

Now that you caught your springtails, there are certain things you should know before adding it with your ecosystem. Especially this:

Springtails can reproduce all year.

The Pros of Having Springtails With Your Ecosystem

You’re wondering why I included a positive section. Does that mean there’s a negative to owning springtails? We’ll get there in a moment.

• Pro 1. Springtails consume dead plants. They also feed on fungi that are dangerous to plants, which is a tremendous help to the ecosystem.
• Pro 2. These creatures can spread the right kind of fungi used for gardening and agriculture.
• Pro 3. When springtails encounter dead flies or worm, they consume them. This serves as another food source for these guys!
• Pro 4. Another one of their favorite meal is consuming organisms with diseases.
• Pro 5. The reason why your garden or any environment is balance is because of the existence of springtails.
• Pro 6. They’re basically doing all the cleaning for you! They consume all the terrible stuff.

As you can see, springtails definitely play a huge part when it comes to nature. This makes question yourself…

What’s the worst that could happen when owning springtails?

The Cons of Having Springtails With Your Ecosystem

There aren’t as many negative things about springtails as there are positives. This is the cons when you have springtails in your ecosystem.

• Con 1. Springtails are known as annoying pests to many people. These critters will chew the roots of plants if given the opportunity.
• Con 2. While they are harmless to people, they can be unpleasant once they enter your home. These guys will reproduce really quickly and can start infesting your carpets and areas inside of your home.
• Con 3. As mentioned in the last line, it’s worth giving springtails another number for this. They reproduce fast!

Even if I listed only three, it’s worth noting that having your house infested outweighs a lot of the numbers for the pros.

Helpful Tip: If you noticed springtails inside of your house, that means that there’s a sign of mold spreading.

With the pros vs. cons here, what do you think about springtails?

From VivariumTips,

Hopefully, you learned a lot about springtails in this article. From my perspective and opinion, I believe that springtails are really important to keep a balance and running ecosystem.

If you have any questions or feedback, don’t hesitate to comment right below this article.

If this article helped you in any shape or form, then consider reading my other informative guides:

• What can I use instead of distilled water for my ecosystem?
• How to make a Jarrarium?
• How often do you water a terrarium?

Not only that, but I created a resource page to help future readers in finding what they need. You will be able to find forums, communities, and such.

• Resource

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The post How To Catch Springtails in The Wild: An Effective Guide! appeared first on VivariumTips.