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 and we guarantee 100% control of Springtails.

Springtails are a common occurrence for homeowners and businesses when Spring weather arrives. Springtails are attracted to moisture and decomposing material such as fungi, algae, and mold. This results in Springtails invading indoor structures where moisture and dampness collects.

Springtails are very small and can range from white to brown to black in color. 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.

They are commonly found in damp and moist environments. In the home, they could be found outside in puddles, garages, pools, basements, sinks, and bathtubs. Springtails 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 an infestation of springtails and want relief, follow our professional DIY guide below to learn what the proper products and effective techniques to carry out to get rid of springtails quickly and affordably.

Identification

It is important to first properly identify springtails before carrying out a treatment approach. This can save you time and money so you know the right pesticides to use for the right insect you are dealing with.

• Springtails are very 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 try to contact us with an image of the pest and we will help you to properly identify them.

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 that they are attracted to. During the inspection, you will be looking for conducive conditions that attract 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 you may find springtails springing up in puddles, patios, garages, pools, and indoors in 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 coming back. That is why it’s crucial to get right to the source and find the springtail nesting site.

Outdoors look in your yard, in yard debris, leaf litter, pool and/or hot tub, mulch, soil beds, under potted plants, and in leaks and faucets. Indoors, check in bathrooms, kitchens, and 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 door and window frames, and floors. When springtails are found, most homeowners mistake them for fleas due to their jumping activities.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed springtails activity it is time to begin treatment. We recommend using Doxem NXT for indoor treatment and a broadcast treatment of Supreme IT outdoors.

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

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 a dampness within your attic, basement, or crawlspace. Fix any leaky pipes, plumbing, or other moisture conditions in and around your home. Also, any mold, mildew, or other fungi issue should be addressed 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 Crack and Crevices

As springtails seek more favorable environments indoors, they can travel into your home under door and 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 4 different mode of actions to fight against springtails. Once applied, this ready to use product gives a residual of a 180 days to prevent and kill springtails upon contact.

Inject Doxem NXT into cracks-and-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 directly spray springtails. Spray for approximately one foot per second with one foot of space in-between each application. For a heavy infestations, make injections approximately 12" apart.

Areas such as closets, around water pipes, doors and windows, behind and under refrigerators, cabinets, sinks, stoves and other equipment will need to treated as a spot treatment. Hold the can 12 to 15 inches from 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 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 (in feet) and multiply your yard and perimeter's length times the width (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 up halfway with the required amount of water and then add the appropriate amount of Supreme IT based on your calculations. Fill with the remaining half of the required amount of water, close the sprayer lid and shake to agitate the solution.

Create a perimeter barrier of the Supreme IT solution around your structure by spraying 3 feet up and 3 feet out from the foundation. 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 make your way to the front going over all of the 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 first read the product labels for indoor use. 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 spray has dried or after 2 to 4 hours have passed.

Prevention

After eliminating the springtail infestation, preventative measures need to be implemented to make sure they don't make a comeback.

• A combination of reducing moisture and preventative applications of Supreme IT Insecticide work best. Repair any leaky faucets and faulty plumbing then reduce moisture over mulched areas and water that accumulates at the end of rain gutters.
• If you want to get rid of springtails naturally, ventilate your home with the help of a dehumidifier or spray natural oils like neem oil, cedar oil, or eucalyptus oil which have insecticide properties that can aid in keeping 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 insects that are harmless but can be a nuisance when they gather in large numbers inside structures where there is 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 has been corrected, you can then apply Doxem NXT indoors to treat springtails and a broadcast and perimeter treatment of Supreme IT to eliminate outdoor infestations.

Preventing Springtail Reinfestation

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