SpringtailMost of us have different reactions to different bugs. We wouldn't consider painting cockroaches on the nursery wall, but butterflies are perfectly acceptable. And although we might scream and run at the sight of a spider 10 feet away, we welcome a ladybug lighting on our shoulder. Different people also have different reactions - had the spider sat down beside an entomologist, the bug man might have happily collected it off the tuffet for a specimen. But no one likes their home invaded, whether the bug invaders are dead or alive.
Which brings us to our second installment of Mystery Bugs: Psocids. Psocids (so-sids) fall into the insect category "Occasional Invaders." They are often seasonal (spring and early summer) and usually temporary home invaders. Very tiny (1/32 - 1/4-inch long), they are sometimes mistaken for mites or termites. The most common psocids we see here in San Diego are Springtails (see picture, above). They are usually found outdoors in moist situations, like a patch of ivy in a shady part of the yard. When their habitat dries out, they can invade a house in large numbers. That is the bad news. The good news is they don't live long indoors. So why do these insect lemmings want to squeeze through your window screen and jump around on your counter? They are merely displaced, looking for a new place to call home. We have included a picture of a springtail, in hopes that by identifying this invading bug you will panic less, knowing they are temporary and harmless. The best way to avoid them altogether is to eliminate the source of moisture that sustains them. Keep ground cover trimmed and allow it to dry out between waterings, especially close to the house. Clear out leaf litter and mulch that may remain moist. Make sure potted plants also dry out between waterings. Outdoor populations of springtails can reach as many as 50,000 per cubic foot of soil! Although they don't bite, carry disease, or chew on your furniture, numbers that large can be scary - dead or alive.
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