Bug Infestation - 99.99% cannot figure this out

jochhe1998

Active Member
Hey guys,

First off, I think my title is hilarious.

Second, I got some issues man (other than what my Gf says ;) ). I had a pretty bad gnat infestation a couple of days ago and I managed to get rid of most of them - drying soil and diatomaceous earth did it for the most part. Today I found a bunch of these tiny black bugs - they are super small, super jumpy, love sticky traps and almost always a crowd around wet spots (I even found some just chilling in water puddles).

I assumed they were gnat larvae but on closer inspection, I found they did not look like it. My friend believes it to be aphid larvae. Would like to hear you guys and girls thoughts.

Pics included below - (1) sticky trap with thumb for scale (2) 120 x zoom on the pest in question
 

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1dude1seed

Well-Known Member
While reading your description of them, "super jumpy and super small", I first thought of spring tails. But they don't look like spring tails. Really curious to see what others say.
 
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ebcrew

Well-Known Member
That is alot of bugs!

Ive never seen anything like that. Doesnt look like any bug i know.
 
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Partyslayer1

Well-Known Member
Hey guys,

First off, I think my title is hilarious.

Second, I got some issues man (other than what my Gf says ;) ). I had a pretty bad gnat infestation a couple of days ago and I managed to get rid of most of them - drying soil and diatomaceous earth did it for the most part. Today I found a bunch of these tiny black bugs - they are super small, super jumpy, love sticky traps and almost always a crowd around wet spots (I even found some just chilling in water puddles).

I assumed they were gnat larvae but on closer inspection, I found they did not look like it. My friend believes it to be aphid larvae. Would like to hear you guys and girls thoughts.

Pics included below - (1) sticky trap with thumb for scale (2) 120 x zoom on the pest in question
Puddles?
 

jochhe1998

Active Member
Springtails I think, I'm 90% sure, most people see them in white/cream but you can get them black/dark brown.

They are completely harmless, aphids would be stuck on the plant or roots.

Don't you think bugs chilling in puddles tells a story.
Hey Star Dog,

thanks for the insight man! Glad it's no problem. One of my friends also said they were harmless too so that's good to hear. I was about to go in mega lockdown/disinfection mode haha.
 

DCcan

Well-Known Member
Snow fleas are a type of springtail, they come out early and in plague numbers like that, only eat rotten wood fungus. Sure its something like those.
 
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