Good to know
Springtails in the house or yard
Springtails are harmless to people and pets and show up where it is damp. This guide says how to check what you have, why they came and what reduces them.
Check what you have
Springtails are harmless to humans and pets, do not infest them and have mouthparts that cannot bite. In rare cases they may cause allergic reactions.
Mites, fleas, beetles, barklice or booklice and thrips are often mistaken for springtails. The kinds you meet in daily life are usually two millimetres or smaller.
Not sure it is a springtail? Use the identification key Open Why they came
Springtails need high humidity to survive and seek out places that hold moisture. Mulch, paving stones, patios, compost piles and other damp places with organic material are ideal for them.
If you are sure springtails are not coming from outside, a permanently moist space in the home, such as a leak behind a wall or under a floor, must be letting them reproduce.
Rain, drought, harvests of a nearby field and new construction can push springtails into a house. New builds can also trap more humidity than the outdoor air.
What reduces them
Steps sellers give for indoor problems
- Run a dehumidifier. It dries the air and makes indoor spaces unlivable for springtails.
- Fix moisture problems first. Check siding, gutters, basements and leaks, because in those cases springtails are a symptom of a structural issue.
- Seal access points such as holes in a window sill, and put very fine stainless steel mesh over vents so air passes but springtails do not.
- Keep U-traps filled so springtails cannot come up through drains. Hot water down a drain can kill springtails inside it.
- Diatomaceous earth, a natural abrasive powder that damages springtail exoskeletons, can be used as a perimeter or dusted into crevices.
- Sticky traps in trouble spots or likely access points stop springtails going further into the house.
Outdoors it is impossible to remove springtails completely. Pesticides are often recommended but rarely work for long. Removing the damp, organic places where they feed and breed is the cheapest and most effective step.
In plant pots springtails are beneficial. If they bother you, bake or freeze potting soil before use and rinse plants thoroughly before potting.
Special cases
Snow fleas are springtails seen on snow, usually black or bright yellow. They do not bite and are harmless. They appear when the air is above or just below freezing.
Large numbers floating on a swimming pool often mean the yard is overpopulated or the springtails are looking for moisture in dry weather.
Keep reading
Species in this guide
- Folsomia candida Common White Springtail A pale, eyeless springtail with a long jumping organ. It is the standard laboratory species for soil toxicity tests and the most common starter culture for bioactive tanks.
- Lepidocyrtus violaceus Blacklight Springtail A violet scaled springtail sold as the Blacklight Springtail, first labelled Lepidocyrtus sp.
If something goes wrong
Sources for this guide
- 1
Understanding When Springtails are Friends or Foes: The Comprehensive Layman's Guide
Pavy R. 2024. Springtails US
Link works · Retailer
Cited at Introduction and Additional Notes; Identifying the issue; Outdoors, Yards and Gardens; Indoors, Bathrooms, Kitchens, Showers, Tubs, Sinks and Drains; Indoors, Other Areas of the Home; Outdoors, Siding, Window Sills, Patios and Driveways; Foreword; Plant Pots; Outdoors, Other.
Reviewed Oct 22, 2026