How to Safely Get Rid of Springtails in Pool

Published June 21, 2022

With a length of only 1/16 of an inch, a springtail appears to be such a small creature that it would be unlikely to observe. But unfortunately, springtails move in groups, forming biomasses that are huge enough to bother you, particularly if they are floating in your pool. These tiny insects gather in moist areas, feeding on decaying materials and leaping into the air once disturbed.

How to Safely Get Rid of Springtails in Pool

Springtails are little, swarming insects that can be white, blue, gray, or black. They lack wings but have a tail-like body part known as the furcula under their abdomens. Springtails quickly lower their furcula to send themselves several inches up in the air when disturbed. Unfortunately, due to their lack of wings, they cannot exit your pool once they have entered. Instead, they float above the water, creating an unpleasant sight.

1. Turn the Lights Off

As with most insects, light attracts springtails. Turning on your pool lights at night draws springtails; keep the lights off until you have eliminated or significantly reduced the springtail in pool problem. Also, turn off any outside lights near your pool, such as landscape lighting or other decorative accents. Even if you do not put lighting directly on the pool area, attracting springtails to your backyard brings them closer to the pool.

2. Minimize Moisture

Springtails are attracted to moisture; therefore, limiting it lowers their number. Maintain a yard free of decaying leaves, thatch, and other damp, decomposing material. Do not water your landscaping or garden until it has completely dried after the previous irrigation, and use mulch sparingly. If you locate springtails in your mulch, you should rake them up, bag them, and dispose of them; wait until it dries completely before applying mulch again, and use the thinnest layer possible. To prevent springtails from reestablishing themselves in your flowerbeds, incorporate diatomaceous earth on top and into your mulch.

3. Relocate the Plants

If you have potted plants on your pool deck, only water them when they are dry and do not allow them to sit in water. If you have a saucer under the plant to collect drainage, you should dry it after watering. In addition, add some diatomaceous earth to the soil of potted plants. Finally, consider relocating the plants away from the swimming pool to reduce its appeal to springtails.

4. Skim the Pool

Skimming the pool’s surface will eliminate the bugs, but it will not necessarily kill them. To accomplish this, fill a sprayer with water and dish soap. Spray the mixture about the pool’s edge and add a few sprays to the pool water; this alters the water’s surface tension and causes the floating springtails to drown. Of course, you’ll still have to skim the pool and use your filter to remove the insects.