Those look like silverfish. They aren't a problem for plants, but they can infest your home. They prey on small insects and like wet conditions. If you really want to get rid of them diatomaceous earth is a great solution.

If you set the pots over a gap in the deck boards (looks like this is outside,) it shouldn't stay moist enough under the pots to attract these things to gather there.

I can't see them very well, but they don't seem to be long enough or skinny enough to be silverfish. BUT...if you look up silverfish & they match, then...there you go!

If they are not...maybe you could get a closer/in focus pic?

I don't think there silverfish, there to small. Sorry the pic is out of focus im useing a smart phone as a camera and they move to fast, there only under my pots after it rains. Ive had them before when I bought substrate for my tortoise. I cured that by freezing the substrate, I can't freeze my cactus though. I think I might just build some kind of metal wire shelf for my plant's and get them up of the ground.

Earwigs(or silverfish) Do eat the leaves, flowers and the roots to plants, especially roses(trust me tHis is from experience. They are closely related to cockroaches and like them can feed on a variety of foods including plants(they tend to favor flower petals)

Earwigs(or silverfish) Do eat the leaves, flowers and the roots to plants, especially roses(trust me tHis is from experience. They are closely related to cockroaches and like them can feed on a variety of foods including plants(they tend to favor flower petals)

I don't think there silverfish, there to small. Sorry the pic is out of focus im useing a smart phone as a camera and they move to fast, there only under my pots after it rains. Ive had them before when I bought substrate for my tortoise. I cured that by freezing the substrate, I can't freeze my cactus though. I think I might just build some kind of metal wire shelf for my plant's and get them up of the ground.

I don't think there silverfish, there to small. Sorry the pic is out of focus im useing a smart phone as a camera and they move to fast, there only under my pots after it rains. Ive had them before when I bought substrate for my tortoise. I cured that by freezing the substrate, I can't freeze my cactus though. I think I might just build some kind of metal wire shelf for my plant's and get them up of the ground.

I don't know what they are either, but sounds like your thinking is already similar to my comment. If moisture can't congregate under the pots, critters won't either. No doubt you can't stop the rain, but if your cactus is moist enough to harbor soil critters, that doesn't sound good. Raining a lot here, too, trying to keep plants under the porch roof when it rains, out in the sun when it's out, but it's been a lot of shuffling. All kinds of critters are coming up out of the soil so they don't simply drown. I saw worms floating down the river in the front lawn the other day.

Maybe springtails? But some jumping should be seen. Yale

Springtails! THAT's the word I was looking for this morning (in my brain) & all I could think of was Springers. Thanks, Yale!

Check out Springtails online, 100mphtortoise!

I don't think these are silverfish, which sadly, I've had in my apartment for years. I won't allow exterminator (am afraid of an allergic reaction as my Mom is highly allergic & as a kid I too was very allergic).

The shape, size & color are not right for silverfish (sorry, I didn't take pix of mine). Recently discovered that whole cloves will deter them (think they hate the smell). Once I started tossing a few whole cloves around my place where I'd seen them, I didn't see them any more for months at a time. Then babies came, I refreshed the cloves & they disappear again. Just in case In case anyone has real silverfish in their homes.

Yes, I think there spring tails, because when I lift the pots you see them and then you don't. thanks everyone all your help was very appreciated.

doesn't look like silverfish though hard to be completely sure from this photo. I would guess either thrips or springtails.

OK.I have some bugs like these I belive they are the same ones as yours on my Jades.I have lost 2 of my jades alredy to them they suck the plant inside out and I always find them when i remove the sucked out part.They are always under the pot and i belive in the soil aswell I don't know what to do can some one help or has expirience with something like this?

If I remember correctly, springtails like to live in leaf litter/compost and similar. And they like moist environment. Maybe with all that rain we have been having the conditions are more favourable? Also, what kind of soil do you have in the pots - maybe more organic?

Springtails are found everywhere, some species in tree canopies. If you look closely at compost there is many of them. They are beneficial, but some species will feed on tubers of plants.
I try to keep my pots elevated, especially from wood surfaces (the moisture under not only attracts bugs, but also damages the wood). I use clay 'pot feet', bricks, rocks, upside-down clay saucers or pots, always leaving space in between for better air circulation.

Rina

"OK.I have some bugs like these I belive they are the same ones as yours on my Jades.I have lost 2 of my jades alredy to them they suck the plant inside out and I always find them when i remove the sucked out part.They are always under the pot and i belive in the soil aswell I don't know what to do can some one help or has expirience with something like this?"

Most likely the plant is dying to due to soil conditions or some other factor, and the insects are simply feeding on the dead plant matter. Plants can form hollow stems when they rot, but I doubt there is any insect that can accomplish this on its own.

I'd blame the soil, not the bugs.

This post was edited by penfold2 on Thu, Jul 11, 13 at 10:22

Has it rained alot in your area, it might be the rain that makes them rot

Has it rained alot in your area, it might be the rain that makes them rot

I got part of the problem fixed. I reused some fenceing someone threw out and made some shelves, Heres some of the material I stared with.

Shelve #1

Shelve #2,3 wired together

Wire is awesome stuff! It's applications seem limitless when you think a little outside of the box, Re-using scrap type stuff in general is always a joy when a little creativity is applied. "found object" art projects abound when you train the eye to see the diamond in the rough in all manner of recyclables.

Excellent work Tortoise! :)