Springtails

Not a pest, not a predator

Springtails are tiny hexapods that live in the top layer of moist substrate and eat mould, algae, decaying plant matter and organic debris. They don't eat living roots, they don't bite, and they don't harm plants or animals. They are the cleanup crew, and in a closed system they're closer to infrastructure than to a treatment.

Folsomia candida is the white temperate species — small, pale, fast-breeding, and comfortable across ordinary indoor temperatures.

What they're for

Bioactive enclosures and terrariums. A resident springtail population processes waste and keeps mould off the substrate surface, so the enclosure stays balanced instead of needing tear-downs.

Mould on houseplant soil. The white fuzz that appears on fresh potting mix, and the green film on a terrarium wall, are both food.

Propagation and semi-hydro. Constantly damp media grows biofilm. Springtails keep the surface turning over.

Feeder cultures. Small dart frogs and juvenile reptiles eat them readily.

What they will not do

They will not control fungus gnats. This gets confused constantly. Springtails and fungus gnat larvae live in the same layer and eat some of the same things, but springtails don't predate gnat larvae — they compete with them at best. If gnats are the problem, use Steinernema feltiae or Stratiolaelaps scimitus.

They also need consistent moisture. A substrate that dries out completely will lose the culture.