Springtail Control: How To Get Rid of Springtails

This page is a general springtail control guide. Using the products and methods suggested, you will get control of springtails. Follow this guide and use the recommended products; we guarantee 100% control of springtails.

Springtails are common for homeowners and businesses when spring weather arrives. They are attracted to moisture and decomposing material such as fungi, algae, and mold, which results in them invading indoor structures where moisture and dampness collect.

Springtails are very small and can range from white to brown to black. Their bodies are cylindrical or spherical, and they have a small tail called the furcula, which acts as a spring and makes them jump up to half a foot in the air.

These pests are commonly found in damp and moist environments. In the home, they can be found outside in puddles, garages, pools, basements, sinks, and bathtubs. Although they do not bite or cause any health hazards to humans, they are mainly considered nuisance pests that can invade homes in large numbers.

If you are experiencing a springtail infestation and want relief, follow our professional DIY guide below to learn the proper products and effective techniques for getting rid of springtails quickly and affordably.

Identification

It is important to properly identify springtails before carrying out a treatment approach. This can save you time and money, as you will know the right pesticides to use for the right insect.

• Springtails are tiny, wingless insects at about 1/16th of an inch long.
• They are mainly colored white or gray.
• They have six legs and a humpback-like appearance.
• Springtails often get confused with fleas due to their small size and ability to jump an incredible distance for their size.
• Springtails possess a forked appendage on the underside of their abdomen, called the furcula, that moves suddenly, causing them to jump. They look like they are "springing," which is how they get their name. A single jump by a Springtail can launch them into the air nearly 10 centimeters.

Use the description and image above to help you identify springtails. If you are still unsure, you can contact us with an image of the pest, and we will help you properly identify it.

Inspection

After confirming that you are dealing with springtails, you should next proceed with a detailed inspection of your property to pinpoint the areas that springtails are gathering in and the areas they are attracted to. During the inspection, you will look for conducive conditions attracting springtails.

When inspecting and examining your home to locate the nesting site, keep in mind that the location of the site will be somewhere that is dark and secluded and contains a lot of dampness. Secondly, the nesting site will likely be close to where you saw the springtail activity in the first place. Springtails can’t travel very far because of how small they are.

Where To Inspect

Springtails love moisture and dampness so that these pests will spring up in puddles, patios, garages, pools, basements, sinks, and bathtubs.

However, there is a chance that those sites may not be the main source of where the springtails are coming from. Also, eliminating them where you find them may result in another group of springtails returning. That is why getting right to the source and finding the springtail nesting site is crucial.

Outdoors, look in your yard for yard debris, leaf litter, a pool and/or hot tub, mulch, soil beds, underpotted plants, and leaks and faucets. Indoors, check bathrooms, kitchens, and areas where moisture develops.

What To Look For

Springtails are moisture-dependent pests that cannot survive long indoors. As a result, you may find several deceased pests around doors, window frames, and floors. When springtails are found, most homeowners mistake them for fleas due to their jumping activities.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed springtail activity, it is time to begin treatment. We recommend using Doxem NXT for indoor treatment and broadcasting Supreme IT outdoors.

Remember to read all product labels, follow the application instructions on these labels, and wear personal protective equipment to stay safe.

Step 1: Repair and Remove Sources of Moisture

The best thing to do is to make your home inhospitable to springtails by eliminating moist, damp conditions.

Install a dehumidifier if your home is humid or if there is dampness in your attic, basement, or crawlspace. Fix any leaky pipes, plumbing, or other moisture conditions in and around your home. Also, address any mold, mildew, or other fungi issues to avoid possible food sources for springtails.

Other water conditions, such as wet soil from rainfall or irrigation, leaf litter, and other plant debris, will need to be addressed.

Step 2: Treat Indoor Cracks and Crevices

As springtails seek more favorable indoor environments, they can enter your home under doors, window frames, and other small openings. Apply a residual insecticide labeled to be used indoors as a crack and crevice or spot treatment.

Doxem NXT is a broad-spectrum insecticide with four different active ingredients, allowing it to have four different modes of action to fight springtails. Once applied, this ready-to-use product has a residual of 180 days to prevent and kill springtails upon contact.

Inject Doxem NXT into cracks, crevices, or void spaces where springtails may be harboring, living, or breeding. Insert the injector tip into cracks, crevices, holes, and other small openings to spray springtails directly. Spray approximately one foot per second with one foot of space between each application. For heavy infestations, make injections approximately 12" apart.

Areas such as closets, around water pipes, doors, windows, behind and under refrigerators, cabinets, sinks, stoves, and other equipment must be treated as spot treatments. Hold the can 12 to 15 inches from the surface to be treated. Apply at the rate of 2 seconds per 2 sq. ft. However, spot treatments cannot exceed two square feet in size.

Wait until 24 hours have passed before allowing people or pets to enter the treated area. Do not make applications to water or watering equipment.

Step 3: Apply Supreme IT Outdoors

Outdoors apply a broadcast treatment of Supreme IT Insecticide. This product will be applied over the lawn as a broadcast treatment and as an insecticidal barrier around your property to repel and prevent springtails from coming indoors. Once dried, Supreme IT has a residual effect for up to 3 months.

Determine how much Supreme IT you will need to mix by first calculating the square footage of the treatment area. To do this, measure the treatment areas' length and width in feet, then multiply them together (length x width = square footage).

Apply 1 fl. oz. of Supreme IT with a gallon of water in a pump sprayer per 1,000 sq. ft. of area.

Fill your sprayer halfway with the required amount of water and add the appropriate amount of Supreme IT based on your calculations. Then, fill half the required amount of water, close the sprayer lid, and shake to agitate the solution.

Spray 3 feet up and 3 feet out from the foundation to create a perimeter barrier of the Supreme IT solution around your structure. Also, spray window frames, door frames, eaves, soffits, and electrical/plumbing penetrations.

Next, do a broadcast treatment by spraying the mixed solution all over your yard. Start at the back of your lawn and go to the front, reviewing the entire yard. Make sure to spray the top and bottom of turfgrass leaves until wet, but not to the point of runoff.

You can also spray Supreme IT indoors, but make sure to read the product labels for indoor use first. You can apply Supreme IT in bathtubs, bathrooms, and where plumbing penetrates walls underneath sinks. If spraying indoors, take care to follow the label instructions for application rates, and do not let people or pets enter areas treated until the spray has dried or after 2 to 4 hours have passed.

Prevention

After eliminating the springtail infestation, preventative measures need to be implemented to ensure they don't come back.

• Reducing moisture and preventative applications of Supreme IT Insecticide work best. Repair leaky faucets and faulty plumbing, then reduce moisture over mulched areas and water accumulating at the end of rain gutters.
• If you want to get rid of springtails naturally, ventilate your home with a dehumidifier or spray natural oils like neem oil, cedar oil, or eucalyptus oil, which have insecticide properties that can help keep Springtails away.
• Seal cracks, crevices, and gaps around the exterior and interior of your home to prevent springtails from traveling indoors.
• The most effective preventative measure we suggest is applying Supreme IT every 3 months around the perimeter of your structure to maintain a springtail-free yard and home.

Key Takeaways

What are Springtails

• Springtails are small, harmless insects that can be a nuisance when they gather in large numbers inside structures with excess moisture.

How to Get Rid of Springtails

• First, address any moisture conditions in and outside of your property. Once all moisture and water leakage have been corrected, you can apply Doxem NXT indoors to treat springtails, and Supreme IT broadcast and perimeter treatment to eliminate outdoor infestations.

Preventing Springtail Reinfestation

• Prevent the return of springtails with quarterly preventative treatments of Supreme IT Insecticide and reduce overall moisture in and around your home.