Springtails are nature’s little recyclers
Q: I see tiny insects crawling around my houseplant soil. They jump or otherwise disappear when I prod them, and never seem to appear far from the soil or the saucer. The plants don’t seem damaged, so do I need to get rid of them?
A: These are springtails, and fortunately they’re harmless. Good to have around, even, as they eat detritus like mold, algae, pollen, and other organic debris. They’re part of the soil community of recyclers, along with soil mites, millipedes, pill bugs, and various insects.
Springtails used to be classified as insects, so they’re very closely related. Depending on species, they come in an array of colors (silvery, pale tan, cream, and blackish-navy being common) and tend to be either cylindrical or globular (rounded). All are tiny, only about a millimeter or two in length when fullgrown.
They get their name from a tail-like appendage they keep folded underneath them. When disturbed, they use it to catapult themselves into the air and away from danger. Otherwise, they just explore gaps between soil particles and can’t fly or bite. I think globular springtails are actually kind of cute.
The only time you may want to investigate further is if springtails appear in areas not near potted plants, as this suggests a moisture issue from a pipe or window leak that can support mold growth. For houseplants, though, enjoy them as a free clean-up crew and don’t worry about eliminating them.
Q: My student and I sometimes struggle with ideas for their science fair project. I think something
having to do with growing plants would be relatively easy to design and fun to watch. Do you have suggestions of what plants to use?
A: Experiments with germinating seeds always seem popular, though you need to make sure you can actually get the seeds, since gardeners comb them over pretty quickly as soon as they come back into stock in January; by the time fair season is in high gear, supplies may be sparse. If timing is tight between the assignment and its due date, pay attention to listed germination dates since some plants germinate much faster than others. The fastest will be about a week from sowing.
One way to get results that are easier to interpret is to make the conditions as identical as possible between tested groups, except for the one factor you’re studying that’s going to be different between them. Therefore, you need several of the same kind of plant to test, which in winter means houseplants if you’re not starting seeds.
A number of tropicals are available in starter sizes, like a 3-inch pot, that are relatively inexpensive. Just make sure you’re choosing faster growers so results are easier to see; pothos grows like a weed, for example, while most succulents are slow. The trailing tradescantias are another speed demon, and spider plants are also pretty vigorous. If your local garden center stocks potted herbs in winter, mint will be your speediest contender among that group.
University of Maryland Extension’s Home and Garden Information Center offers free gardening and pest information at extension. umd.edu/hgic. Click “Ask Extension” to send questions and photos.