Hi! I just noticed that 5-10 of my plants have some tiny bugs in the soil. I believe they came from Miracle Pro organic soil (when purchased). Now... I'm not sure what to do. Change soil? I feel like they are sooo small, it will be hard to remove them all even if I try. Not sure if they are damaging to my plants, but so far they all look happy. Are these spider mites? or Springtails?




I just sprayed it with Neem oil. Please help! I hope they won't all die.

It is really difficult to make out detail in your photo annonet. Or maybe it is just my old eyes?
Oh, and a big welcome to NGA. So glad you found your way here.

@schrecka Annie can you help with this?

@valleylynn

Thank you!! Here is another photo. Also, I noticed that if the soil is super dry they either disappear or not visible.

Annie might show up tomorrow to help us identify these.
I wonder if they are root aphids? Can you use a magnifying glass to see detail and compare to this photo?
https://www.planetnatural.com/...

It looks like aphids to me... How do I get rid of them in soil?

annonet

What kind of plants are the ones affected?

Hi Larry. Do you know anything about getting rid of root aphids? Everything I read about them says it can be difficult to treat.

It will not be root aphids. Aphids will not be living in the soil you bought. They will be living on the roots of plants. Your more organic blend probably has more compost and natural ingredients like various wood products. There are thousands of various insect that help break down compost & other natural ingredients. These bugs feed on dead plant matter, not living. They break down this matter and create a by-product that your plant will really like which is insect droppings. You probably already know of the benefits of worm castings.

Are these soil mites? So it's good? This is Monstera Deliciosa. Plant looks really healthy.

From your description, they are not the kind of insect pest that feeds on or damages plants. It is likely they were in the non-sterile soil used by the grower or whoever repotted the plant.

Thank you @WillC @cullen_ and @valleylynn!! I was going to trash the plant, glad I don't have to.

Enjoy it and ignore the critters!

Sorry I'm late to the party! I agree with Will. They look like soil mites, which is good news for your plants: https://www.guyabouthome.com/s...

Thank you Will and Annie, I learn so much from watching these threads started by people having questions about their plants. This thread is a great example of an opportunity to learn. I did not know about these little mites. Annie the article is great, thank you for posting the link.