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bugs in AV soil

Posted by geniemalone 11 (My Page) on
Tue, Jul 14, 09 at 9:52

I was watering my AVs today and noticed teeny white bugs crawling on top of the soil. Any idea?


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: bugs in AV soil

Hi,

Are they kind of silvery and fast? If so, then they are probably springtails. They are really pretty harmless. I have them in several of my plants and they don't do any harm. They aren't the most pleasing things to have. After all, who wants to have bugs crawling around. But they are not worth the cost and effort of getting rid of in my opinion.

Larry


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RE: bugs in AV soil

Hi,
I agree with Larry, however if they really bother you to a point of distraction you might try working some Marathon into the soil. Another name for Marathon (expensive) is Imacloprid (generic).
Fred in NJ


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RE: bugs in AV soil

Hey Genie,

If Larry and Fred's guess is right and they are spring tails, and they bother you, they would me, and I'd want to get rid of them if I could.

Spring tails like wet areas, so you might try letting your soil go dry for awhile, but not to the point where your violets croak, and then the spring tails disappear. I don't know where they go, but that's what Rob says in Plant Care FAQ under wick-watering - 'why to let reservoirs go dry' at the Violet Barn, top of Page 4.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: Violet Barn


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