Springtails are tiny (about 1/16 inch long), slender white or gray insects. You can see them in the soil or in the drip saucer underneath your houseplant. Since they don’t like being disturbed, they’re particularly visible right after you water or if you start digging in the soil; jumping all around. Springtails feed off of decaying roots and the fungi around them. Their favorite home is damp potting soil that has a lot of peat moss in it. These insects are annoying, but rarely hurt the plant. The best way to get rid of them is to allow the soil to dry out until your houseplant just about wilts.
