Help me identify these little beasts in my scorp tank..

[Fergrim]

The substrate I use for him is a very damp, mulchy/barky kind of substrate. (advertised as ideal for tropical species)

Recently, while checking on him, I moved his hide to discover a bunch of very small insects. And by a bunch, I mean a whole freaking lot.. not quite swarming, but a lot. Here's a description..

They are very very very small. Like about the size of this: ' (a bit smaller)
They are also about that shape also.. longer than they are wide.
They are silver in color.. I only saw them on his hide (it's a wooden half log) and in the scrape he dug underneath. They didn't seem to be interested in him (I deduce this because relative to the amount of them I saw.. I only saw maybe one crawl across him once)

They could move at a good clip for something their size, and I didn't witness any jumping or attempts to fly at all..

My camera isn't good enough to get a clear picture of one.. they're too small.

Any ideas? I'm trying to find out if they're anything for me to worry about..

 

[woijchik89]

mine have the same thing only not as many, i found out that they live under ground, outside my house.

 

[vespa_bicolor]

They seem to be almost everywhere where there is humid substrate... used to have big problems with them too!

 

[Fergrim]

I guess then my main question is.. are they bad for anything? Or can I safely let them be?

 

[vespa_bicolor]

Personally I never had them harm any of my stuff. But they're just unsightly to me, especially once there are lots of them. Usually I just clean out the substrate, move the tarantula/scorp/pede to another container and use a brand new substrate.

 

[scavenger]

What you describe is most likley a species of subteranian springtail. They are probably feeding on leftovers from your scorpion's meals... I have them in with my Pandinus and they do a good job of it. (some species have no tail and so don't jump like the big, fuzzy, leaf litter eating species.

 

[Fergrim]

sweet Thanks for the info.. The little waste disposal managers in my scorps tank. And they all do his bidding and he leaves them scraps! Mua ha

 

[Fergrim]

also from what I read, these guys eat fungus, bacteria, mold, and organic leftovers..

They sound like wonderful additions to my enclosure!

 

[Pedro]

Did u just collect your substrate from out side if so i would say they might be Sow or pillbugs babys. just a thought

 

[Fergrim]

No, I got the substrate from a bag at the petstore.. I forget which type, brand exactly.. but it's a mulchy..dirtish mix.. advertised as ideal for tropical substrate. (the creature in question is an emperor scorpion)

I really do wonder how those little guys were introduced.. heh.

 

[vespa_bicolor]

They seem to appear out of nowhere. As soon as I set up an enclosure for anything that needs it humid, after a while I see them.

But I didn't know they were that helpful! If I had known I wouldn't have had to spend so much time washing out my cages everytime I see them!!!Haha