Culturing springtails on soil

[AlphaTen223]

I recently got some springtails and started culturing them on charcoal however I saw a lot dying and it got infested with mites so I separated the culture and now I have one on charcoal and one on soil and I am wondering what the purpose of carbon is because I saw someone say it’s good to add it to the soil mixture so I added some finely crushed lump wood charcoal. I am keeping them on this currently in a pickle jar to hopefully prevent mites.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

If you only feed bakers yeast (using either the charcoal or clay method), they shouldn't get mites.

 

[moricollins]

If you only feed bakers yeast (using either the charcoal or clay method), they shouldn't get mites.

Soil mites...

I culture my springtails on either clay or charcoal. Soil based cultures almost always ends up with mites in my experience