In situations where you find tiny bugs identified to be springtails infesting your property, knowing how to get rid of springtails yourself will go a long way to fix an infestation that has gone out of hand.
Springtails are tiny bugs hopping around your mulch, beds, or in your bathrooms. At first, you might jump to the idea that its fleas, or it could be something else entirely.
However, in this article, having little or no idea on springtails doesn’t matter as you will be enlightened on how to confirm that you have springtail activity and how to get rid of them.
What are Springtails?
Springtails are tiny hopping pests whose colonies can sometimes number in the thousands. They feed off of organic matter such as algae fungi, mold, and mildew. So they require areas with moisture to survive.
They typically don’t cause any harm to us, but they can be a nuisance especially when they gather in large numbers around your home.R
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How to Identify Springtails
Pest identification is an essential step in any DIY pest control plan. It is necessary you are sure of the kind of pest you’re dealing with.
Some people do commonly mistake springtails for fleas because they’re both extremely small and great jumpers. However, the issue is the elimination process which requires a completely different control method.
Springtails are very small, typically around 1/16 of an inch long, about the width of the tip of a ballpoint pen.
They can range in color from white to brown to black. Their bodies might be cylindrical or spherical a good way to distinguish them over fleas.
A key difference is that they have antennae where fleas do not. Springtails are also identified by their fork-like appendage below their stomach.
When the springtail is frightened, they release a substance and it acts as a spring. This will fling them up to half a foot in the air, this is why they are given the name, the Springtail.
Signs of Springtails Infestation
Once you’ve identified springtails, you need to know where they’re coming from. If you don’t treat the right spots, then you won’t get effective control. As we mentioned earlier, springtails need moisture to survive.
So check around damp areas. This will usually be around leaf litter, yard debris in or around rain gutters, under flower pots, around pools, hot tubes, or where pipes penetrate the walls inside.
The good news is that springtails don’t travel very far from their nest. This implies that they’re really close by.
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Where can I find Springtails?
Springtails are found in moist areas like bathrooms and kitchens. So check around bathtubs, under sinks, or voids near Plumbing.
If you’re seeing them coming up from under the floor or around baseboards. This might mean that you have a moisture issue that needs to be fixed.
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How to Get Rid of Springtails Bugs Naturally
Getting rid of springtails completely and permanently, what you need to do first is, eliminating and reducing the amount of moisture around your home.
This means fixing any leaky pipes on the inside and doing your best to reduce the moisture outside.
Read also: Tiny Bugs in the House: How to Identify
How to Get Rid of Springtails Using Chemicals
They are chemicals that can get rid of springtails infestation completely, the products you will need are:
- D-fense dust
- Hand duster
- Bifen L/P granules a hand spreader.
- Reclaim IT concentrate and
- A pump or hose-end sprayer.
How to Apply
- Use D-fense dust to treat voids and crawl spaces. This is insecticidal dust that is waterproof and great for the puffin.
- To treat hard-to-reach areas, use the hand duster.
- Spray D-fense dust in voids, and entry points in your plumbing, weep holes, and under baseboards.
- Treat outdoors with Bifen L/P. Bifen L/P is a granular insecticide that works to a slow-release process and offers a residual of up to 3 months.
- Using a hand spreader. Spread the Bifen L/P granules over mulch beds, flower beds, or anywhere else you’ve been seeing springtails activity be sure to follow the label instructions.
- Finally use Reclaim IT for surface treatment. Reclaim IT is a powerful liquid concentrate that will not only activate the Bifen L/p granules but will also offer a quick knockdown and a residual of up to 90 days.
- Spray the Reclaim IT on the floor and mulch beds.
- The granules also create a barrier around your home by spraying 2 to 3 feet up on the structure and 2 to 3 feet out.
- Also, spray Reclaim IT inside where you have seen springtail activity. This can be along baseboards, under sinks, behind toilets, or long bathtubs.
Note: Ensure you read and follow all label instructions.
How do I Prevent Springtails from Returning?
- Prevention is the last process in any pest control plan as it is necessary to monitor returning pests.
- To prevent springtails from returning, below are what you should do:
- Eliminate and reduce the moisture levels around your home.
- Be sure to address and fix any leaky pipes, damp soil, mulch, or any areas in your yard with poor drainage and
- Ensure you carry out a re-application method of how to get rid of springtails chemically.
Lastly
Springtails don’t cause or inflict any harm to us, but they can be a nuisance especially when they gather in large numbers around your home.
Following these DIY guides on how to get rid of springtails, you will eliminate these bugs completely and permanently from your property.
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