Article: Collembola are drawn to moisture. If you can improve the air circulation in an infested indoor space, the humidity of that space will drop, and the Collembola living there will move away or die off. Open windows and doors inside the home to permit as much natural ventilation as possible. Set up fans in problem areas, like kitchens, bathrooms, and basements, to create artificial sources of air movement. You can also keep conditions drier in a large space by running an air conditioner or a dehumidifier. Mildew and mold grow in areas with a high degree of moisture. Moreover, these fungi will absorb and retain moisture, thereby attracting collembola. You need to remove the fungi and dry out the area to kill the pests living there. Look for fungi in waterlogged areas of the home, like the corners of your basement or your bathtub. Also look for fungi, moss, and algae on the surface of your soil. Remove this soil completely to dispose of the growth. In particular, look for leaky pipes and cracks leading to the outside. These areas could be drawing moisture inside, and drawing Collembola to the spot. Drying out these sources will dry out the springtails thriving on them. Leaky pipes are the most obvious and most common source of excess moisture in the home. Cracks and gaps in your windows and door frames can be another source. Weather-proof your doors and windows as needed to fill in these spaces. Apply caulk to small cracks and crevices as needed. If you have wooden windowsills, they may have undergone water damage due to leaky cracks. Change or treat the damaged wood. Then, prevent further problem by applying a waterproof finish to the wood. This might be difficult to do with outdoor plants, but if these pests are drawn to your indoor plants, you can usually kill them out by letting the soil of the plant dry out completely before providing more water. It is especially important to let your plants dry out if you are bringing outdoor plants inside. If you have Collembola outside, they may already be in your potted plants, regardless of whether or not you see them. Letting the soil dry out for a few days will kill the springtails living in the soil and reduce the risk of bringing them inside. Though soil springtails will stay within the pot. In the very unlikely scenario when a potted plant is overrun by Collembola, (even though they won't harm the plant), the simplest thing to do might be to remove it from its current waterlogged container and put it into another container with well-draining soil and better drainage holes. When re-potting a plant overrun by Collembola, or more likely, mites, gently shake off as much of the soil as possible after removing the plant from its old container. Use as much fresh soil as possible. If you drag too much of the old soil into the new pot, the pests may remain. Consider adding gravel or a similar material to the bottom of the new pot to improve soil drainage. The new container should also have more drainage holes in its bottom than the old container has. You can cut the problem off at the source by removing as much decayed organic material from your yard as possible. Collembola like to breed in those areas, so removing them will kills off the young animals already living there and prevent new ones from developing. Alternatively, you could leave the organic material where it is as Collembola are beneficial to soil fertility. When Collembola have made their way inside your home, which will only be the Siara and Hypogastrura genera, focus on clearing away breeding grounds near the perimeter of your house. Piles of decaying leaves, mulch, and grass clippings can attract springtails, which is great for your garden and its biodiversity. Mulch, especially, should only be 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) deep to avoid attracting Collembola.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Lower the humidity. Remove waterlogged fungi. Repair sources of water leaks. Control the amount of water your plants receive. Re-pot your plants. Remove possible outdoor breeding sites.