Little white bugs...

[ConorDash]

Hello,

Upon using th chopstick technique, one morning there are these things all over it (inside the soil) and all in the soil too. Any ideas on what they are? Whatever they are, they shouldn't be there...

As far as I can tell, they seem to be springtails.
http://www.orkin.com/other/springtails/

Anyone else have any advice on these?



A method of correction I've seen is to dunk the pot entirely in water, which will kill anything living in it then after, I'd need to treat with pesticide to get rid of any eggs.
As far as I can tell online, they aren't harmful and are fairly common, but someone experienced could confirm and out my mind at rest more so.

 

[aml1014]

Don't know what they are, but I see them in 99% of the plants I touch. I'm positive they are harmless to the plants. More then likely, they are in the soil for the organic matter in which they will break down naturally.

Aaron

 

[petegreg]

...and they like wet soils and environment. I can usually find them in trays under the pots esp. after watering.

 

[Giga]

Looks like spring tails which are harmless but I'm not 100%

 

[ConorDash]

Looks like spring tails which are harmless but I'm not 100%

That's what I strongly believe they are.
Just trying to find out what's best to do..
It's either starve them of water which means starving the tree too for a few days maybe or 3-4.. Or submerging it all for a bit to kill them then pesticide, but then gotta worry about which pesticide to not harm the tree.

 

[Giga]

Submerging the tree will not kill spring tails, I culture them for my dart frogs and they float and can live on top of water

 

[ConorDash]

Submerging the tree will not kill spring tails, I culture them for my dart frogs and they float and can live on top of water

I was thinking as they are under the soil, they can't get out to the top to breath.
Please suggest a way of getting rid of them if that won't work though sounds like you'd be the man to tell me.

 

[JudyB]

Why stress your tree to kill something harmless?

 

[ConorDash]

Why stress your tree to kill something harmless?

You make a very basic.. Obvious but overwhelmingly, good point lol. Although they seem harmless, I can't just can't get over the fact that they shouldn't be there.. Are they just gonna stay there for life.. Are they really that harmless..

 

[Cypress187]

Are they really that harmless..

They look cute, but if it's a colony I would also not like them so much.

 

[aml1014]

You make a very basic.. Obvious but overwhelmingly, good point lol. Although they seem harmless, I can't just can't get over the fact that they shouldn't be there.. Are they just gonna stay there for life.. Are they really that harmless..

Harmless, and yes they should be there it's only nature.

Aaron

 

[ConorDash]

Harmless, and yes they should be there it's only nature.

Aaron

Alright, I'll go with that.
Thanks guys.

 

[parhamr]

They appear to me as symphlans, which feed on roots: http://insect.pnwhandbooks.org/ipm/garden-symphylan

 

[ConorDash]

They appear to me as symphlans, which feed on roots: http://insect.pnwhandbooks.org/ipm/garden-symphylan

Thanks for that link and suggestion.
Looks like the 2 bugs are very easily mistaken for each other. I just went down to get a bug and put it under some kind of magnification to see about the pairs of legs, find out definitively whether it's a springtail (hoping) or your bug, very bad.
I couldn't find any... Usually all over the chopstick but couldn't see any. I see tiny specks of white in the soil but none are the bugs, none moving. Maybe eggs but if so, I'd have expected to find some bugs. I expect the white bits I see now are just part of the soil mix. Although I'm noticing my maples roots are crazy in that pot.. Roots everywhere, coming up above the surface, there's a lot in that pot! Definite clean up gonna be done on those in spring.

So tomorrow morning I'll see if I can find a bug and count it's pairs of legs to find out. Here's hoping you are wrong and it's harmless

Although looking at the pic in this thread, I would say it's springtail as there are only 2-3 discernible pairs of legs. And certainly not 6-12-15 pairs of legs, as with your bugs you mentioned. So I think I'm in the clear. Although Mr @Giga should know, if he cultures them

 

[Barry]

I also think you're looking at symphylans. Springtails are not as elongated

 

[ConorDash]

I also think you're looking at symphylans. Springtails are not as elongated

Ok, well I'll definitely try get one so I can get a magnified look at it. Research tells me the main difference between the 2 bugs is the pairs of legs. Springtails with 3 pairs and symphylans with many many more, so that large difference should tell me.
Judging by the one pic already taken here in the thread, it's telling me springtails.
I'll post a more zoomed one, if possible, tomorrow . Thanks though.

 

[parhamr]

@ConorDash I admire that you're aware of and intending to solve this with careful observation! So many discussions in the world of bonsai end up with endlessly opposing anecdotes and arguments. Cheers for putting in the work

 

[justBonsai]

Springtails will actually jump as their name indicates. If they jump around they're probably springtails--if not maybe symphylans. Should it be the former they're no big deal. What you can do as a natural remedy is to buy some diatomaceous earth and mix a substantial amount in a watering bucket. Run this water through your pot thoroughly. This has worked for me on removing minor soil insect infestations as bugs don't like the microscopic silica.

 

[Giga]

symphylans - I doubt they are these guys as they look like spring tails to me. A better picture would help but if either one a round of bayer's systematic will get rid of both, may sure you fully saturate the soil and try and catch the run off and properly dispose of as it potent stuff.

https://www.amazon.com/Bayer-Advanc...9&sr=8-10&keywords=bayer+systemic+insecticide

 

[ConorDash]

@ConorDash I admire that you're aware of and intending to solve this with careful observation! So many discussions in the world of bonsai end up with endlessly opposing anecdotes and arguments. Cheers for putting in the work

Springtails will actually jump as their name indicates. If they jump around they're probably springtails--if not maybe symphylans. Should it be the former they're no big deal. What you can do as a natural remedy is to buy some diatomaceous earth and mix a substantial amount in a watering bucket. Run this water through your pot thoroughly. This has worked for me on removing minor soil insect infestations as bugs don't like the microscopic silica.

symphylans - I doubt they are these guys as they look like spring tails to me. A better picture would help but if either one a round of bayer's systematic will get rid of both, may sure you fully saturate the soil and try and catch the run off and properly dispose of as it potent stuff.

https://www.amazon.com/Bayer-Advanc...9&sr=8-10&keywords=bayer+systemic+insecticide

Thanks for the replies guys. Great info on how to get rid, which is very reassuring .
Might even buy that stuff you recommended Giga for future anyways.

Well, I checked this morning and I got some so I got out a set of black digital scales, so that its white on black to see them better.. When I tried to tap them from the chopstick to the scales, they jumped everywhere... They went literally everywhere except the scale. So, although I was trying to, I guess that proves that.
There are a type of springtails that don't jump (I read) so I wasn't relying on that to ID them, but turns out these ones do, so that's that!
I'll leave them there for now, and maybe in a months time if they are still there, might do something but as Judy says, no need to stress the tree unnecessarily.
I've started the tree on its first dose of miracle grow today, so whether that will help or hinder the bugs, I don't know but my bigger concern is the chlorosis I have in my Maples leaves.

So, all in all, harmless springtails but lesson well learnt .
Thanks guys for all your advice, was great.