[Occasional Invaders] A Jump on Springtails

Although they may not be top of mind (or even among the top 30) of the insects you would list as structural pests, the springtail is becoming more and more common across the U.S. and pest management professionals are being called out to deal with it.

Gene White, B.C.E., director of education and training for Rose Pest Solutions in Troy, Mich., spoke about springtails at the 2007 Minnesota Structural Pest Management Conference, in a session titled “Getting the ‘Jump’ on Springtails.”

Because of its jumping behavior and small size — 1 to 3 mm — the springtail is most likely to be reported by the customer as being a flea. But, White said, if the customer doesn’t have a dog or cat and/or it is early in the spring, the problem is more likely to be springtails. The insect is thus named because of its ability to fold forward its fourth segment, or furcula, for use in jumping.

One of the challenges in trying to control springtails is that customers will want them gone, but in most cases, they will not do any harm during their limited existence. White recommends that the pest management professional determine whether the springtails are really a pest in the situation, and if they are not, to let the customer know what can be done to treat for them, but the insects are not really a problem and will be gone on their own in a matter of days (at least until next year).

When present in sensitive areas, in large numbers — which can grow as high as 100,000 per cubic yard of surface soil — or on an annual basis, the insect can indeed become a nuisance pest. In addition, they can cause dermatitis in some people and have even been found infesting human hair (although this is more likely a hygiene issue, White said). If you do provide treatment, let the customer know what to expect from it (as product efficacy can be slow with springtails) and provide recommendation for removal of the moist environments conducive to springtail presence.

“How many of you monitor outside insect activity?” White asked attendees. When very few hands went up, he responded, “If you could stick out some insect monitors that are covered and protected, I would like to see what you trap over time.” Although pest management professionals don’t always think about exterior monitoring — through traps or visual inspection — doing so can provide valuable information so that the invading insects can be identified.

If you are identifying the insect through visual inspection, White said, “You gotta get on your hands, you gotta get on your knees. You’ve got to get close.” In addition, because of their small size, the insects will be difficult to positively identify without magnification.

CONTROL. With seven families of springtails found in North America, the insect can have varied body forms, including elongate, globular and grub-like, which “can throw you in your efforts to properly identify them,” he said. One characteristic of all forms that is important to treatment is the springtail’s lack of spiracles or tracheal/respiratory system. “So if springtails have none, that’s one way an active ingredient is not going to get into their systems,” he said.

Another body part of importance to control is its collophore, through which it takes in water. The springtail dries out extremely quickly, thus seeks out moist environments from which it can continuously take in water. “If this is a water-uptake organ, how can we use this somehow against the pest?” White asked.

PCOs will encounter several types of springtails around structures, and the insect is attracted to moist external areas such as leaf litter, mulch and decaying organic matter, and interior areas such as basements, crawlspaces, wall/foundation voids, bathrooms and kitchens, and even wet or damp furniture. From outside, it will enter structures through door thresholds, utility openings, window screens, potted plants, weepholes and sill areas.

The most important aspect of control is getting the insecticide to the springtail harboring in the soil interface underneath mulch where it is most likely to harbor. In many cases, dry mulch can absorb the pesticide, near-surface applications can break down or you may simply not be putting the product deep enough. In any case, he said, “You don’t get the product down to where you think you’re getting it.” To ensure that you are, White advises that you shovel back the mulch and see how far the wetness goes then determine how to make your product go deeper.

This can be done by creating a “preferential flow,” he said. Rake the mulch, roll it over, soak it down. Once the entire area is saturated, then you can apply product. “When you apply material to the top, you get a cleaner flow down to the soil interface,” he says. This can be a time-consuming process, but as long as it is priced accordingly, the process can provide for effective control for your customer and a profitable job for you. 

The author is a frequent contributor to PCT magazine.