Springtails seem to come out of nowhere and pop up everywhere in your home. These bugs start at a water source that has a link to the outdoors, like a faucet or a bathtub, then jump to the next water source they find. If your home has enough of these water sources, you might end up seeing several of these tiny creatures. So, where do they come from? Read on to find out. 

Habitat and Distribution

In nature, as in your home, you can find springtails in moist environments. These small, wingless insects can thrive in many types of moist environments, from wet soil and decaying logs to patches of fallen snow. In fact, they typically have an easy time surviving winter as long as they can find leaves or grass to keep them warm. Regardless of their resilience, they will sometimes find their way into people’s comfortable, climate controlled homes. 

Reproduction and Life Cycle

Like most bugs, springtails start out as eggs. These eggs are laid in moist areas. Springtails molt 5 to 10 times before becoming adults, and adult springtails molt up to 50 more times, increasing in size after the 15th molt. Even after all this molting, they remain tiny at 1/16 of an inch long. 

Origins and Evolutionary History

The first known fossils that were classified as springtails were found in Scotland in 1926 in deposits of sandstone. Trace parts have been found that suggest that springtails were one of the very first insects, if you consider them insects, dating back 400 million years. Springtails have gone through several massive extinction events and continue to adapt and persevere.

Interactions with the Ecosystem

Unlike some more notorious insects, springtails are considered beneficial to the environment. They help break down decaying plant material by feeding on it, then excreting it, helping improve soil fertility. While they generally present no harm to humans, they have an unpleasant odor, and their feces may trigger allergic reactions in some people. If the smell doesn’t bother you, they can be great creatures to add to a terrarium due to their habit of eating plant decay. 

Springtails can be a nuisance, especially when you find a bunch of them in your home. When you find them, your best bet is to vacuum them up and throw out the vacuum bag. If that doesn’t work, the pest control experts in Des Moines can help. Call Pro-Staff at 515-279-7378 or contact us online.