When you pull up soil around the base of a dying plant, you may see them move for only a second or two before they disappear back into the soil. Very good eye-sight is required for finding this insect. To find springtails in the soil, take a shovel full of moist soil and throw it in a bucket of water. Springtails will float to the surface. Springtail which injures sugarbeets Last season, fields that experienced problems with springtails had very moist soil and high residue, such as last years small grain straw.
Springtails feed on fungi and bacteria associated with rotting organic matter in the soil.
When the springtail densities reach several thousand per square foot in moist soil and the fungi and bacteria happen to be in contact with the root surface, feeding injury occurs. The use of granular insecticides at planting should control springtails. Last year there were reports that granular insecticides were not effective in controlling springtails. However, there is research that indicates springtails are very susceptible to organophasphate insecticides. If control failed in spots last year, suspect leaching of the insecticide in coarser textured soils.