help ID on some soil pests ?

5 years ago

Hello!
I'm a beginner plant owner starting to diversify their collection after owning the typical normal cacti!
Recently I bought a string of hearts plant from a nursery and in its quarantine I've noticed super super small grey/silver bugs (not round but long and "pointed" you could say) hanging out in the soil
From what I can tell, they prefer to stay in the soil (only ever see them on leaves when walking over them) but I definitely think they do have a nibble on the leaves as a snack as some have little indents
(photos http://imgur.com/a/Oy0cdMo )
because they're super small my camera doesn't really pick then up easily but here's a video where you can see the size and then a (somewhat blurry) zoom in in one to show its shiny top layer
https://imgur.com/a/76md0P5
I thought they could be springtails but I think i would have seem some sort of jumping on the plants prior and also here is a video of me prodding around it with some tweezers and they just seem to hide away rather rather jump
https://imgur.com/a/nbf7a9P
any ID would be brill so I know how to deal with them 😛

Featured Answer

Alain (Pacifica, CA;10a)

5 years ago

I have seen these little bugs before, don't know the name either. They seem to be rich and moist soil dwellers. They don't seem to do any arm to the plants. I have had them all over seedlings in sphagnum/peat moss based soil and seedlings were unaffected.

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Comments (7)

cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
5 years ago
Two things - I don't know much about those bugs, but what about repotting in fresh soil? Are you loathe to do that because you don't know how the critters were introduced? I think you'll get them ID'd (and I too would want to know what they are).

Second, there are lots and lots of perhaps not-normal cactus. Collect 'em all!
emmy l thanked cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
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emmy l
Original Author
5 years ago
Alain you made me feel better having some experience and saying they don't seem to do any harm to the little plants, there were so many of them I was weary that maybe they could be nibbling on the roots but I didn't want to disturb the SoH because I just got them a week ago and was trying to let it acclimatise to the new environment

Cactusmcharris I would absolutely be a bit squeamish in repotting ahaha but if i have to do it I will! Hopefully these little critters aren't too much of a hassle because they seem to like the soil that they won't divert anywhere else!
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
i would sterlize some fresh media ... and repot it ... just to simple .. and avoids all kinds of remedies ...

solving the problem.. imo.. is more important than proper timing of repotting ...

and suck it up.. they arent going to hurt you ... this isnt little shop of horrors.. if you prefer.. wear kitchen gloves.. or whatever ...

also wash the pot in 10 % bleach if you are going to reuse it ....and you will sterilize the gloves while doing it ...

get over your 'yuckies'.. and just do it ... you will be very happy afterwards ...

ken

https://tipnut.com/sterilize-soil/
emmy l thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
emmy l
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you Ken for your resources and insights, I really appreciate it

Don't get me wrong, with critters like these give me the heebiejeebies but I will sort out my plants for the sake of their health, as I did with a mean case of mealeys on my aloe, don't mean I gotta like it !! ahahaha

I certainly appreciate the tough love to just get it done, it certainly seems although they're mainly harmless and a repot + sterilising is the way to go!! 💪 thanks all
Fori
5 years ago
They do look like springtails (or at least collembolans). Not all are springy.
emmy l thanked Fori
s g
5 years ago
Likely to be collembola although look similar to psocoptera (although the stubby antennae indicate collembola). Either way not an issue to your plants.
emmy l thanked s g