Springtails are a common critter in the Washington D.C. area. These insect-like creatures usually live in moist, woody areas or around rotting plants, which they feed off. However, in places where there is too much moisture, they can multiply and breed rapidly. Springtails from outside can crawl into your home, especially during the autumn and winter, and take up residence if the conditions are right.
How to Make Your Home Less Attractive to Springtails
If you have a springtail infestation in your home, there are a few changes you'll want to make. These can help make your home less prone to infestation by other insects. Through this process, you'll also be able to identify and repair serious problems, such as leaky pipes or poor indoor ventilation.
To help prevent another springtail infestation, consider taking the following steps:
Clear away vegetation: Springtails use vegetation around your home as a bridge to get indoors. Consider clearing two to three feet around your home to deprive them of this cover.
Seal your home's envelope: Inspect and seal any gaps. Check out rubber flaps under your doors and replace them as needed, inspect the grout around your home for holes, and check for any cracks or water damage.
Remove plant matter: Check your basement, gutters, and outdoor areas for any dead plant matter piles that springtails feed on, and remove them as needed.
Fix indoor moisture problems: Contact a contractor to help fix any ventilation problems you might have indoors that are trapping excess humidity.
Repair your drain spouts and adjust your sprinklers: Springtails thrive in overly watery environments. Be sure your roof's rain gutters are draining water away from your home and that you aren't overwatering your lawn.
Springtails aren't considered to be dangerous pests to humans or animals. Springtails eat decaying plant matter and don't transmit diseases to humans. Some gardeners consider them to be beneficial insects. However, they may cause yellow stippling in plants, making it essential to consider removing them if you have indoor or outdoor plants. They can also indicate humidity issues inside your home, leading to mold or rot.
Springtails typically live outdoors, but if your lawn is overly soggy or has too much humidity indoors, you could see them in places you hadn't seen before. While springtails are relatively harmless critters, they indicate a problem that can impact the rest of your home. Too much moisture can also make your home an attractive habitat to other pests.
Springtails are tiny and breed rapidly, making them challenging to remove independently. They're also resistant to pesticides, making it difficult to remove them from an area outdoors where they've established themselves. A professional exterminator can ensure any springtails indoors are eliminated, and the conditions helping them thrive outside are mitigated.
Tips for Preventing Springtails
Seal cracks and crevices around the exterior of your home's foundation.
Reduce moisture levels.
Remove leaf and other organic ground cover around your home.
Store firewood 15-20 feet away from your home.
How My Pest Pros Helps Eliminate Springtails
My Pest Pros technicians can help identify areas where springtails might try to enter your home as well as conditions inside and outside your home that are attractive to them. Exterior treatments of your home will help deter these pests. We use EPA-approved products to protect your family and home.
For ultimate protection, our professionals will work with you to find a customized solution for your pest problems, today and tomorrow.
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