Spring Tail problem is a real pain. I end up rinsing and washing the worms as much as I could and used the VC in the garden outside (flowering plants) farthest from the house. The part where I thought could still be small worms went to the composter.

Adding powdered eggshell didn't help. Neither did drying out the bin. The worms got very skinny, the springtails retreated to the edges of the bin and in the VC crevises.

Some nematodes might work but they cost a lot too. Some people are lucky and have soil containing one kind of nematode or another. I read of a poster who didn't have fungus gnats in the bin. If any, there would be very few, which means something in the VC & bedding is controlling (eating) the larvae.

boing boing boing

I haven't run across springtails in my bin yet. I am not a big fan of all these home remedies that always seem to involve "adjusting the pH". A few eggshells really won't change the pH in a worm bin much at all, and I don't think most worm bin critters are all that sensitive to slight pH changes anyway.

Have you tried placing a cover on the top of the bedding, like a piece of cloth or cardboard?

Sadly, I'm an apartment dweller. I do have tomato plants on a small balcony so I guess I will use the compost there if it comes to that. Most of my plants are indoors and I was really hoping to use the compost for them.

My bin has a lid. I recently added more newspapers to the top. I haven't checked to see if it's made any difference. Earlier I tried drying out the upper layer of the compost which seemed to work, though I'm now wondering if the spring tails just migrated further into the bin rather than lessening the actual spring tail population. From the responses it seems that I'm stuck with the spring tails.

Okay, for those who cure their compost before storing, did you notice if the spring tails were killed off? I would have no problems with curing and storing the compost for months if that would ensure all the spring tails and their eggs were killed off. I wonder how businesses that sell vermicompost deal with spring tails and their ilk. Do curing and storing compost kill off the pests? Anyone know?

I think they come with veggie scraps that aren't frozen. So if they're in the bin already, covering the top won't help. May be some might stick to the cloth etc. but the majority were in compost.

I do cure my VC but I didn't want to risk mixing in VC with springtails "contamination".

No, I didn't mean using a cover to keep them out. My idea was that covering the surface of the bedding might interrupt their activities and/or their life cycle.

In response to your other question, miscel, I believe that very thoroughly cured and aged vermicompost will eventually reach a point where other decomposers are no longer able to survive, because everything that was actively decomposing has already been processed past the point where it can be food for them.

I freeze all the scraps prior to feeding and still got spring tails. As for an extra cover, wouldn't more shredded newspaper or cardboard work? I'll add a layer of unshredded cardboard per theparsley's suggestion.

theparsley and baldeagleomelette - Thanks for the answer to the finished compost and pests.

My compost is nearly finished, i.e. very little food is left in the bin beyond the recently added shredded newspaper. I think the spring tail problem started when I removed most of the worms to another bin. I added a little bit of food for the few worms I might have missed and for any unhatched worm cocoons. This was a mistake. I think that coupled with the heat wave upset the balance in the bin and encouraged the spring tails to flourish.

I guess I'll let the remaining worms and newly hatched worms work through the compost and whatever food is left for another month or so. Hopefully, the spring tails will be gone by then.

I have the same spring tail issue..

However, if you have already removed the worms and you want to be rid of the spring tails (I was trying to be too lazy to remove worms and looking for a solution That didn’t involve worm removal),,,,

TO RID YOUR DIRT/COMPOST OF SPRINGTAILS:

1) Simply mix your dirt with Diatomaceous Earth (I use Han Grade OMRI , because I mostly grow food/produce, if non-edibles then the human grade or OMRI=True Organic, doesn’t matter),..Mix at whatever level you wish, be sure to wear a mask as DE is high particle (think baby powder) and could irritate those with breathing issues),.. DE for ANY invertebrates & insect is like CUT GLASS, so they die or Bug Out!

2) You can then use in Your plant watering container, a ”Mosquito Dunk” disc (it floats as it dissolves), which contains BTI (bacillus thuringiensis israelensis) a nematode that eats/kills mosquito larvae, and other annoying garden pests like fungus gnats, and black flies..just water your plants as normal, leaving the mosquito dunk in your watering containe, use the water to water plants, then refill the Water container and allow water to sit until next watering. This does two things, it allows the mosquito dunk time to release more BTI into the water (no worry of mosquitos in this standing water), and it allows the tap water to evaporate any typical chlorine in the tap water, which is a good thing for your plants..so side bonus!.,

Lastly, regarding the above, again, it is AFTER you REMOVE the Worms! Because, although I do not know, but I would guess that the BTI likely kill & eat baby worms at the least and likely adult worms, I don know..as I haven’t been able to find an an about it online and the company never replied to my email inquiry...

BUT, I DO KNOW, that the worms won’t be able to survive the DE in the soil, remember to invertebrates DE is like CUT GLASS= Bad News for Worms! So, keep that in mind...

That‘s about it..both of those things should rid you of any spring tails in your compost & plants..Good Luck!

Oh! & Please post if you know of a treatment for springtails WITHOUT removing the worms!..*smiles*...