I’m in my kitchen with insects, no bigger than a pinhead, 2 feelers and they jump away when you destroy them. They mainly appear in the morning and evening. What are they and how do I get rid of them? What is an effective way (the bay leaf in the photo is an indication).
Answer
Dear Wim,
this is a springtail or collembool (order Collembola). Springtails are actually very primitive insects that have a spring fork at the back. They occur en masse in the soil and in the leaf litter where they feed on decaying organic matter, moss, algae and fungi.
These insects need a high relative humidity. Sometimes they are found in homes, but then they are always an indication of high relative humidity. In the past we have found springtails in new-build homes where the plaster has yet to dry out, or in bathrooms and other damp rooms. These organisms do not damage the home. Springtails don’t sting or bite; there are also no known cases in the literature of skin irritation caused by these insects. In the home they feed on fungi and mold spores, often present on the walls and behind the wallpaper.
In case of nuisance in a home, it is best to look for the source of infection. In the case of springtails, this can be the litter in the garden, or flat roofs or gutters with standing water or the humid atmosphere in the house. We generally recommend cleaning the house a few days in a row with the vacuum cleaner, and ventilating the house well or heating it dry, so that the relative humidity in the house decreases. After all, springtails cannot survive in a dry environment.
kind regards,
Hans
Answered by
Hans Casteels
identification of pest insects in agriculture and horticulture, stock goods and homes
Burg. van Gansberghelaan 96 box 1 9820 Merelbeke
http://www.ilvo.vlaanderen.be
.