All across the state, many disgruntled denizens adjusted their clocks this past Sunday, March 9, to accommodate daylight savings time. While this lets us have longer days, a historically helpful tool for farming…it can be a bit disruptive to our sleep schedules. Either way, now that it’s passed, we are on the fast track to spring, which will be March 20 this year!

Getting Ready to Garden

The warmer weather, bright sun, longer days, and light rain make the perfect recipe for starting your spring garden. I have been enjoying the concept of “chaos gardening” the last few years, chucking seeds (Florida-friendly species, of course) around my backyard without careful planning or deliberation to see what grows. Now, a quick disclaimer, I would not encourage anyone to do this unless they had a surplus of seeds and a shortage of time. All that said, it’s always a delightful surprise to see what survives in my plant beds. Will there be a loofah this year? How about some tomatoes? Perhaps a pea or two?

The Hunt for Springtails

This week, I was on the hunt for some springtails to contribute to a colleague’s academic collection. They are usually an easy critter to find in damp soil, and I had just put down pounds and pounds of it in my garden last week. Sure enough, as I suspected, there were tiny, pale springtails wriggling about, weaving in and out from the fallen leaves and freshly watered soil in my leftmost bed.

I scooped one up in my hand and eagerly rushed inside, placing it in a small bag and then under the microscope for quick confirmation. After receiving a long and drawn-out explanation of my earlier outdoor mission, my partner looked up from his phone to ask, “Is it a springtail?” to which I exclaimed, “Yes! It is!”

After an adequate amount of cheering, I put the bag away, finished up my lunch, and drove over to the office. One of my afternoon duties was to identify some small flies that were dropped off yesterday by a client. While I had my microscope out, I thought it might be interesting to observe my springtail up close. I placed it in a small dish with some of the soil where it was found. Under the microscope, its movements were fast, almost impossible to keep up with. Pressing “record” on my camera, I hurriedly moved the dish in an effort to follow its erratic path.

The footage was blurry and almost dizzying, but I did manage to get a couple clear shots of our springtail friend. One can be found on the right for your viewing pleasure.

Then, it occurred to me, how many people really know about these? I mean, sure, if you’re studying entomology or if you happen across a large number of them inside your home…but for the average person, springtails may not be much of a thought. Well, I would like to take this chance to let you in on the secret lives of springtails.

What Is a Springtail?

Springtails are not quite insects, although they are closely related to them. Taxonomically speaking, they belong to the class Collembola within the phylum Arthropoda, or the arthropods. Arthropoda also includes class Insecta (examples: beetles, butterflies, mosquitoes), Chelicerata (examples: spiders, mites, scorpions, ticks), and Crustacea (examples: shrimp, lobsters, crabs, woodlice).

From a more ancient lineage, springtails have been around for hundreds of millions of years, predating all flying insects. In fact, one fossil was found and dated to be 410 million years old! This makes them one of the first arthropods to live on land.

Springtail Anatomy

Sooo…what makes a springtail a springtail? It possesses a unique anatomical organ called a furcula. This is a long, forked “tail” that extends from its abdomen, or posterior end. Under normal circumstances, the furcula remains tucked underneath the abdomen. However, when the springtail is disturbed or threatened, it will use this organ as a spring of sorts, releasing it to launch it into the air at great heights (relative to its size). You can see this furcula in action by watching the video below.

Besides its trademark “spring,” the springtail also has a unique tube, called the collophore, located on the underside of its body that it uses for fluid exchange. It’s also thought that this organ allows it to better stick to smooth surfaces. Another shared feature among all springtails is their setae, which are fine hairs located along their body that serve a number of functions, including protection and sensing their environment.

When it comes to size, springtails often measure no more than 2 mm in length. To put that in perspective, that’s about the size of the tip of a new crayon (measured across at the diameter). Unlike most insects, they do not possess any wings. Instead, they are highly mobile in the soil and use their furcula for an added movement bonus.

Body Forms

There are two main body forms of springtails: linear and globular. They are exactly as they sound – the linear form is straight and slender, while the globular form is round like a globe.

There are 9,600 described species worldwide, but here in North America, that number only sits at around 650…okay, yes, that’s still a lot. Now, you might be wondering what all these springtails are up to. While they may get the occasional reputation as pests, they definitely bring more to the table than one might expect.

Ecosystem Services

Springtails are stewards of the soil in two main ways: aeration and nutrient cycling. As they move through the soil, they add little pockets of air that help oxygenate plant roots. This helps keep plants healthy! Additionally, they typically eat decaying plant material and other debris, fungi, and bacteria. Through their dietary habits as detritivores, they assist with breaking down organic matter into more usable nutrients for plants in the soil. Thanks, springtails!

When Springtails Swarm

Now, when might they pose a problem? On occasion, there may be large numbers of them inside homes, on sidewalks, or in pool areas or patios. This is due to high relative humidity, as springtails cannot survive without adequate moisture. They are absolutely harmless to both humans and animals, but sometimes the sheer number of them may cause alarm.

The easiest form of management is to decrease nearby sources of moisture. Check for possible leaks, overwatered house plants, and gaps or crevices that may be allowing rain or irrigation to enter the home. Address these problems promptly, because they may also be encouraging the growth of mold (one source of food for springtails).

If you’re seeing springtails in your home, be sure to check around your home, as it is very likely there is a large outdoor population. To remedy this, leave a considerable gap between your home’s foundation and any organic material, such as soil, mulch, or compost. Additionally, investigate your irrigation system to make sure you are not overwatering your outdoor plants. Excess irrigation may be encouraging them, along with other possible pests, to enter your home. Remember that the University of Florida recommends 1/2 to 3/4″ of irrigation per cycle.

If you addressed the root of the problem and several springtails remain, you can use insecticidal soap to treat the affected areas of your home. Be sure to thoroughly read and follow any directions on the product label.

Spring Forward

Finally, I wanted to share some advice, inspired by our friends, the springtails. If you feel overwhelmed, hopeless, or perhaps struggling to get through the week, try to do the following:

1. Spend time with your people.
   • Springtails are gregarious and often gather in large groups. This lends them strength in numbers, helping increase their survival rate. Spending time with the people around you, whether that’s your family, friends, or local community, is a great way to boost your mood and decrease feelings of isolation. Check in with loved ones, offer your help, support, or even lend an ear. Ask if they can do the same for you. Volunteer for causes that align with your values – you may meet some amazing people along the way. Enjoy time spent doing silly things with your people, because sometimes the silly things make for the most memorable moments.
2. Use your resources wisely.
   • Being polyphagous, springtails have a varied and flexible diet. They will make good use of their surrounding resources to gather the energy and nutrients they need to carry forward with their daily tasks. When you’re exhausted, do not overextend yourself trying to cook overly complicated and time-consuming meals, creating something from scratch if you can use something similar that you already have, or by spending money you don’t have on things you don’t need (with this important caveat – that don’t make you happy in the long run). Use and upcycle what you have and try to find contentment in the little things. A cup of coffee made your favorite way at home, slowly sipped outside in the sun, a good audiobook on a topic you’ve always wanted to learn more about (don’t forget your local library), a soft, snuggly blanket on the couch with your favorite show…there are so many small and simple ways to cultivate joy.
3. Spring forward.
   • Springtails use their spring-like furcula when they need to get away from a perceived threat. When you feel like the weight of life’s obligations and expectations are closing in on you, remember that you can often spring forward to safety. Set firm boundaries with those who may be demanding too much of your time and energy. Empower yourself to get up, get out, and do something special for yourself. This could be a trip to the beach or a serene walk through the woods at one of our many county parks. Whatever adventure you choose, I hope it heals you and gives you the strength you need to push through difficult times.

Resources

• UF/IFAS – Springtails: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IG124
• UF/IFAS – Pests Associated with Mulch and Moisture: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN030
• UM Extension – Springtails: https://extension.umn.edu/nuisance-insects/springtails

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