In the home, they can develop nesting sites any where it remains nice and moist, including inside the walls, under slabs, along pipes and drains. They may not be coming in from outside, is what I am suggesting. Is your home newly built? Not uncommon for them to build up large numbers in a new home.

Do all that you can do to eliminate moisture problems in and around the home. If you have a crawl space, that is a likely area for a large population of spring tails to arise.

Proper control probably requires the services of a well trained professional, and I suggest that you arm yourself with information gleaned from the web before making calls. You don't want someone who will come out and simply spray around the perimeters as you did (totally not effective) but will actually try to seek some nesting places.

That a very strong possibility...it is a new house. I see them coming out of the drains and also sometims out from under the walls so that's a good point. I also notice them come under the door plating so I caulked that all in.

If they were in the house why would they be coming up one drain but not another?

Location of nesting site?

I guess my first question is why are you bothered by springtails?

As a general rule they are attracted by moisture and decomposing organic matter. Rarely are they anything more than a nuisance as house guests, not generally damaging to anything.

In your new home you may well have moisture issues as homes are not protected by anything against rain until the roof is on and windows in. So, you may well have moisture spots inside walls and whatnot. That you find them around drains isn't suprising given the moisture and there is probably sources of decomposing organic matter they consider food building up in those drains.

If you absolutely must kill them rather than wait them out until they disappear on their own due to changing environmental conditions (whatever moisture they were attracted to will likely dry up eventually) then use any product containing pyrethrins which are known to kill them.

Don't do a perimeter spray as it is pointless and pyrethrins kill much more than the springtails. Just target those areas where you notice significant populations as well as any areas in your home you know to have moisture issues.

I have had a severe infestation of springtails in my house starting in July when it was very hot and humid. It took a couple of weeks for me to realize I had something other than mosqitos or fleas in the house. I spent a lot of money on various DIY treatments and so on. One exterminator said to just wait it out and wouldn't come to do anything. Another came three times with little success. After a lot of research, I discovered the humidity aspect of control and am keeping the house humidity under 40%. I run a dehumidifier full time and keep fans going on the basement floors. They are everywhere, including on me, in my hair and bed. There's no place to sit or lie down in my home where they don't come after me looking for moisture. I've awakened in the morning with eyes, ears, nose and mouth full of them. It's disgusting. They don't like Bounce dryer sheets and lint roller (that thing has saved my sanity!) or talcum powder. I have covered all floors, furniture, beds, etc., with borax, used sprays made of various liquids: orange degreaser, windex, Dawn dishwashing liquid, pure vanilla, alcohol, essential oils (tea tree, clove, cedar, juniper, oregano) with little success. I've soaked everything that touches me for two hours in hot vinegar/borax, then wash in hottest water with detergent and tea tree oil, dry on hottest temperature. It helps at the time, but you can't treat everything in the house at the same time and they move around. I keep clothes I'm going to wear next in the deep freeze, put them on after a little warm up and leave. It's the only way I can go out and not have bugs crawling around under my clothing. If anyone has better ideas, please share.

To control insects that are in, or coming in, the house you need to understand what they need, such as moisture and food, and eliminate those things which in turn will eliminate the insects. Spraying poisons only controls the symptoms, the insects, and not the reasons they are there and that means you will have more, In addition those poisons will harm you as you breath them.

I have a 5 year old house and have had an infestations of springtails since day 1. This year is the worst ever. I have used 4 different professional exterminators and they are pretty useless. I have been doing my own spraying inside and outside, especially under the siding. We also bomb our basement monthly in the summer. I noticed today they are unbelivable in numbers this year and come out in droves just after a rain storm. The home owner that has them in the house on her clothes etc should bomb her house. Then go to Southern States and buy Talstar concetrate and a pump sprayer and spray inside and outside monthly.

I am ready to remove my siding because I think they are nesting in my siding.

To effectively control springtails, or any other unwanted insect in the house, you need to know something about them and the environment that encourages them to breed and grow. Once that is understood and steps are taken to change that environment they will disappear without using any kind of poison that is harmful to you as well.

Here is a link that might be useful: Springtails

I too have been suffering with springtails for over two years. Our home had nests under the carpeting and I thought the little "bites" I was getting was from fleas. We had the house treated professionally but we still have them everywhere.
Obviously I am one of the 5% of the population bothered by these insects but I would give anything to be rid of them. We still have the house treated monthly...inside and out...we run fans and dehumidifiers but this area seems to have them everywhere.
If anyone has a suggestion as to how to keep the population down to a minimum, please share. I am so tired of losing sleep and vacuuming this entire house daily.

lynduh47, did you read the link supplied above?
Springtails do not bite humans, they do feed on decaying organic matter. What you have probably is not what you think you have.

I Am also looking for a way to remove them from outside. Inside you can try this...Natures Gift Debriding Soap. No, I dont sell it. ASmall bottle...not cheap of course...makes about two gallons of spray. Its all natural..wont hurt you, has no smell and can be sprayed on anything that can get wet. Spray also inside of cupboards, drawers, microwave, refrigerator, freezer. Spray or clean everything with it. Spray as often as you can afford. You can also use it for body wash and hair rinse. Try drinking water with sea salt in it and taking large doses of Vitamin C. That might make them stay off you and with luck make them not want to be around anymore. Once a day treat all yoir drains including shower with weed killer..cover your face, dont breathe it in. Pour it in DONT spray so it cant come back on you. Plug the drain until next use. Keep drains clear of hair and debris. Get rid of your shower curtain. Buy a cheap liner and use just that...change often..weekly even. Run a space heater in your bathroom after showering to keep dry. Better even...join a gym and shower there keeping your home dry. Wash dishes by hand...your dishwasher adds tons of moisture to your home. If they are in your clothes, soak in Captain Jacks Deadbug Brew added to your wash water..soak first if possible before running machine. Some clothes can not be saved...throw them away. Springtails can attach to some peoples skin and scalp....ask a parisitologist if you think thats not true. To remove them or treat lesions try opening a capsule of activated charcoal from drug store or health store (messy but will clean up ) mix with a bit of yogurt and put on lesion...the parasite will turn black and be able to be removed. Cover right away so new ones dont get in. Keep covered until healed. I hope this helps.

To all those who say springtails/collembola do not infect humans, you need to do more research. There are over 8000 species and much not known due to lack of finances for research. It is a matter of fact, however, that of 20 patients diagnosed with delusional parasitosis, 18 tested positive for collembola infection. Changing your diet can decrease your chances of being affected. Also, like some people are allergic to the saliva of mosquitoes, fleas and mites, so are many to these. If you eat a cleaner diet to change the acidity and alkaline levels in your body, you can create an environment that the critters do not like. There is a lot of accurate and up to date information out there if you look. http://www.collembola.org/publicat/sidney.htm

My girlfriend& I are freaking infested with these bastards. No one believes us, and when I called an ambulance they took me to the psycho ward. Anyway I think we are going to die if we can't get any help. Please!!! If anyone gives a dam. ( HELP US)!!!!!!!!!

Ugh, I hate these annoying bugs. I'm at war with them as we speak. I called a company that claims to be springtail experts. He said to spray lysol down the dishwasher overflow on kitchen sink and also down the little hole inside the bathroom sink. So far it seems to be working! Fingers crossed.

i live in the AZ desert and have gone the whole round of natural treatments, have no landscape near my home, insured no water leaks in my house and had a full plumbing and septic inspect and cleaning in my 4 yr old home. Best thing to survive these beasts is go to domyown.com purchase cykick CS and treat the whole perimeter outside your home 20 ft out from foundation and 10 ft up the exterior side monthly during warm/hot weather. Next inside treat all wall base boards and floor area adjacent with Ortho Home defense. These critters come from the earth and the cykick will start to kill them and if they make it inside they get stuck in the Ortho and die. I also put a couple drops of Survivors drain cleaner in each sink nightly and plug and put couple drops in small amt of water at night if i start to see activity there it also instantly kills these horrible things. I went from a full infestation to a couple at my door and in 1 bathroom nightly. I'm off my psych meds and sleep like a baby, no more panic attacks every morning due to the horror in my house. Good luck everyone !!!!! I have survived my springtail infestation and feel i have won. it can take several years to eradicate them completely and i see a huge decrease over the last 3 summers.

I live in IL and while I have see some occasionally over the years, here and there, this year is especially bad with us finding them everywhere in our house—every room, walls, floors, surfaces, etc. Has anyone tried diatomaceous earth? I read this can be effective. Our house does not have the best insulation (old windows) and I assume they are coming in from the outside. What is baffling is that I will look at a spot, not see one, look away, and suddenly there are two! I know they jump but I honestly do not know where they are originating from. We get quarterly pest control visits and have never experienced anything like this. I appreciate knowing there are others like us. I felt quite alone in this battle until coming across this conversation.

FOR OUTDOOR- Clean up any dead leaves or grasses around your house. Get yourself a 2 Gallon hand pump. Fill it up with water and 1/4 of a 24 fl oz dish soap. This mixer will only kill on contact. Find all the nesting sites. Do a good spray. Spray the outside of your house, bushes, rock, dont forget your gutter, etc. Do this once a week until they are gone. Don't spray on the grass because you will kill the grass.

FOR INDOOR- Get dehumidifier for your moisture areas. Spray with the same soap mixer to where you most see them. And get a few plates so you can setup the soap water bait stations for the springtail. Put the plate on the floor. Then used tape as a ramp for the springtail. Then add the soap water into the plate.

ITS GOING TO BE A LONG SLOW FIGHT. GOOD LUCK!!!!

Thank you so much for your suggestions! I appreciate it.

My only question is: where or what is the nesting site? We ended up filling interior and exterior cracks along windows with the diatomaceous earth and came home after a week away to a graveyard of springtails on the floor along the walls in our living room.

It sounds like you lived through this which gives me hope. Thanks again!

I'm having a huge problem. I have found that vinegar and baking soda help. I pit baking soda in the drain at night. Chemicals don't work. I have used Permethin and ivermectin cattle pour mixed. Dilulates and undiluted. It's only a temporary fix. Last only until the evening. Don't waste your money on exterminators. Apple cider vinegar works the best. It's a full time job.

Hi I too went through an ordeal with this and it was awful. I want to share my solution as it brought down a lot of them in numbers to almost now i feel they are finally managable and leaving... I used vinager spray to spray pipes and poured vinager in all drains. Washed all the air filters around house especially in bathrooms. Best one is using essential oil lemongrass or lime and make a spray solution. I used about 15 drops in a spray mixed with water and they die instanly！spray skirting boards and furniture and where you feel they are more abundant！ If you have ac please have it cold... and they seem to die with cold in my case... Its a horrible experience but I have learnt a lot abour bugs！wish you all can find some peace with this

UPDATE FROM HU-743401566

Nesting site could be anything that gives springtails cover from the sun and has moistures. Such as piles of rocks, piles of leaves, sticks, firewood, wood deck, bushes etc. When you find the nesting site there will be alot of them adult and baby one. I have tried some chemical that works pretty good that i wanted to share with you guys. The best product that i see that works really good is Nature-Cide Pest Management X2. Use this to spray around outside your house. Only bad thing about this product is that its gonna give out a smell and its expensive. Ingredients: Cedarwood Oil, Cinnamon Oil, Limestone, Dolomite, Lecithins, Soap & Water. Then use Nature-Cide Granular Turf & Pest Management spread on the ground throughout your yard. If you dont want to deal with this smell then you can used Transport Mikron Insecticide for the spray. This stuff dont smell but its oil base chemical so its gonna leave a clear chemical stain. After alot of trial and error and alot of money spent on chemicals. I know that this is my best solution for getting rid of these pest. Now I dont see any springtail on my house but damn the neighbor's house still has it. Hope this information helps you guys out.

Call me crazy, BUT I am convinced that my springtail problem is actually from using an exterior paint on my brick that is not allowing the brick to breathe. I think that there is moisture under my paint that is creating the perfect environment for them to live. How likely is this theory? I have a few areas in the bottom 3 feet of the perimeter of my home where the paint is peeling a touch. I pulled back a few areas and I cannot even tell you how many springtails I saw pop out of there. I am going to try any and everything to get rid of these pests!

Possible. But you must have something there for them to eat. Look for mold, algae, etc. Generally, excess moisture around the house isn't ideal anyway so you might want to deal with that. Springtails are harmless--other things that also take advantage of wet places are not.

Most of us have also been having really weird weather which may affect where critters are living and how many of them are out there. Population numbers of small animals are especially changeable based on local conditions.