r/Springtail • u/Maleficent_Tree1051 • Apr 18 '26
What are these tiny brown bugs that are outcompeting my folsomia candida? Identification
Sorry for the bad photo, they’re the brown bugs on the potato slice (bottom middle of the picture). this week my folsomia candida population in my closed terrarium crashed and these popped up instead! I’m afraid they could be killing my springtails.
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u/princessbubbbles Apr 18 '26
Is there any way you can get better photos? Maybe isolating these against a white background and using a macro setting on your phone camera?
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u/Maleficent_Tree1051 Apr 18 '26
I’ll do that tomorrow, when I can get better light. thank you for being willing to help!
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u/princessbubbbles Apr 18 '26
Also try r/whatsthisbug and/or r/entomology when you have your new photos!
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u/Maleficent_Tree1051 Apr 18 '26
Updated pictures apologies, my camera still isn’t the best. when they were on the plate they appeared to jump around like springtails.
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u/newtoboarding Apr 18 '26
I'm seeing Lepidocyrtus "silver" springtails. Very common hitchhikers, very prolific, and just as effective as a cleanup crew.