# Mites on Springtail Culture



## JP RAMOS LANZADERAS (Aug 9, 2019)

ideas on how to prevent mites in a springtail culture


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## richard22 (Aug 18, 2019)

A few things can be done, and I’m guessing they’re flour mites. If you risk it, you can lower the humidity a bit for a few hours and it probably won’t kill the springtails but mites will probably die a good bit. You can also buy predatory mites, results may vary and they might eat springtails or their eggs. You could also use a thin sieve if the springtails are large, otherwise it probably won’t work. Try not feeding any food for a few days and take out any mite clusters you see, or put food in as bait and take the mites out from the food clusters. For killing mites from the produce, try spraying with diluted eucalyptol oil in water, it’ll kill the mites easily but also the springtails. Otherwise you can sterilize the old food with heat or a few days in a freezer. I don’t know about acaricide, make a few smaller scale tests along with springtails if you feel inclined. I had and still have the same issues, but these ideas might help. Unlike isopods, it’s pretty hard to control mites in springtail cultures because they require even higher humidity and moisture to succeed and that enables the mites to proliferate.


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## moricollins (Aug 18, 2019)

I would suggest starting a new springtail culture. The cost to rid the existing culture of mites will probably be more than buying a new culture

Reactions: Sad 1


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## richard22 (Aug 18, 2019)

moricollins said:


> I would suggest starting a new springtail culture. The cost to rid the existing culture of mites will probably be more than buying a new culture


What if the infestation is in a large culture and, as a hypothetical, which method might work best? I plan on breeding large cultures of common white ones, and also wild caught ones like large black pogonognathellus sp., etc.


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## moricollins (Aug 19, 2019)

All of the methods to kill mites will also kill the springtails so you'll have losses of springtails with whatever method you use to get rid of mites

In terms of *preventing* mites which is what the OP asked about: no-seeum mesh for ventilation or very very very fine material such as a 0.3 micron filter combined with only feeding them brewers' yeast would help prevent mites from getting in, again, help prevent but not completely prevent.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## richard22 (Aug 20, 2019)

moricollins said:


> All of the methods to kill mites will also kill the springtails so you'll have losses of springtails with whatever method you use to get rid of mites
> 
> In terms of *preventing* mites which is what the OP asked about: no-seeum mesh for ventilation or very very very fine material such as a 0.3 micron filter combined with only feeding them brewers' yeast would help prevent mites from getting in, again, help prevent but not completely prevent.


I am currently trying to breed some wild springtails (significantly larger than temperate white ones) I sieved out of a bunch of leaf litter; I put them in a deli cup with charcoal and some fish flakes but hairy white mold grew (good?) and I can’t find any of the springtails anymore (bad). I have another culture in a minimly ventilated somewhat moist ecoearth and leaf litter wider than taller sterilite bin with no visible mold and they are still around in droves, but mites are all over regardless of me feeding them. I could try sieving the bin and salvaging the springtails and using eucalyptol water on the mite layers of the sieve and freezing, rather than trashing the entire culture in the freezer. 

These springtails are either big shiny black ones, pretty large silver or red ones, or somewhat small striped light grey ones. What would they prefer to breed in? Not charcoal? Ones I get from my home are much smaller and are either white or dark grey and seem more active. I could try a new culture with sterilized leaf litter and careful mite prevention, I also try to have as little ventilation to keep humidity in so a filter is probably unnecessary unless one air hole is a problem for mites.


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