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Springtails (Collembola): Tiny Jumpers on Driveways After Rain

Q: Purple-ish moving mass on concrete after warm December rain. Tiny bugs. Invasion?

Springtails (Collembola)—tiny, forked tail jumps them a few mm. High organic matter + moisture = springtails. Colors: white, pink, yellow, green, orange, red, blue, indigo.

One caller saw so many in a line they looked like a "dark silver snake." Harmless, temporary.

Resources: Collembola pictures, Texas springtail factsheet.

About Gardening: Orange Worms in Acorns: Weevil Larvae, Minimal Impact; Tiny White Jumping Insects in Potting Soil: Springtails?; Springtails in a New Home: Temporary Nuisance, No Treatment Needed; Tiny Brown Bugs in Closet and Bed: Carpet Beetle Larvae from Hidden Food Source; Springtails Do Not Bite: Understanding False Bug Bite Sensations; Tiny Tan Bugs Swarming RV Identified as Thrips; Pink Daisy Tiny Bugs: Whitefly—Discard or Spray; Why Are My Bell Peppers Tiny and Dry?; Tiny Jumping Bugs on Pond Surface: Springtails or Aphids?; Springtails: The "Hopping Black Pepper" After Rain

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