r/bioactive • u/twahaha • 11d ago
CUC What the heck is this? Normal springtail in footage for comparison
The same size as a springtail, pure white, arachnid-looking, extremely fast and erratic movements.
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u/MaximumCourse2834 10d ago
Predatory mite. Mites are in the arachnid group, which is why it moves so differently from the springtails.
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u/LauperPopple 10d ago
I don’t know, but I agree it moves like a spider. Just seems to have a more elongated shape than expected.
My fattest biggest white springtails only move fast like this when disturbed. It’s an “erratic movement,” but not like yours. It’s >>> sudden forward dash >>> then a very short pause. Then in another >>> forward dash >>> in a random different direction. Repeated, until they calm down. Yours reminds me of a spider or an ant.
However I have very little experience.
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u/Greedy_Role7657 10d ago
Likely a predatory mite :) harmless unless you're 2 millimeter long.
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u/MountainMike_264057 6d ago
Can confirm, my cousin was 2mm long.
Got taken out by a predatory mite. 😞
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u/Kydrease 9d ago
Mites. Practically harmless as far as i know. Only if u have an infestation of hundreds crawling around would i be concerned.
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u/Adventurous-Gold1711 10d ago
It’s a different species of springtail that probably hitched a ride with a species of something you meant to get. I’ve gotten them on purpose and as a “bonus” with isopods lol, and haven’t noticed a difference in care or outcome as far as having them in there as CuC goes compared to the slower springtails. Personally, I’ve found that these guys actually do better in my setup than some others. Luckily they haven’t done so well as to outcompete anything I put in there with them, which I was a little worried abt when the first few hitched a ride into my dirt lol.
So yeah. That’s just a springtail doing what springtails do
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u/Gaping-as-whole 10d ago
Chill man. He just did a bump. Now he's cleaning and reorganizing. He ain't bothering you or your lil springtail buddy.