In the event of a severe infestation (high infestation pressure), feeding marks in the form of very small holes become visible on young, soft plants. In the event of extremely high infestation pressure, the small, whitish creatures also appear on the substrate surface. In well-aerated substrates, the potential damage caused by springtails is very low.

Springtails, or collembola, are represented worldwide by approximately 9,500 known species, over 500 of which are found in Germany. These tiny creatures, measuring 1.0-4.0 mm (0.5-17 mm worldwide), have a whitish, sometimes silvery-black body colouring. The spring fork on their abdomen allows them to "jump away" when in danger, which is how they got their name. Springtails need a moist environment, which is why they prefer substrates containing sphagnum or peat. Their diet consists mainly of dead organic material, but when they occur in large numbers, especially in overly moist to wet potting soils, they may also feed on very young, living plant parts.

Springtails (Collembola) reproduce sexually through the deposition of sperm packets (spermatophores) by the males, which the females absorb and use to fertilise their eggs, with the offspring resembling their parents after hatching (no metamorphosis). However, some species also reproduce parthenogenetically (asexually), and in many species, fertile and infertile phases alternate with moulting. Young animals reach sexual maturity after about 3 weeks and can lay eggs, from which young animals can hatch after 7-10 days. If environmental conditions are not suitable, reproduction is suspended; outdoors, springtails can survive for over 4 years without developing.
Most species of springtails are polyphagous detritus feeders. The predators of Collembola include mites, spiders, harvestmen, pseudoscorpions, double-tailed insects, centipedes, ground beetles, rove beetles, dipterans, ants and bugs.
Even though springtails are considered pests in agriculture, they fulfil several important functions in nature:
Their ability to bind and immobilise heavy metals makes them valuable pioneer colonisers. As omnivores, but also as specialists, they primarily feed on algae, fungi, carrion, excrement or pollen, and can also consume soil microorganisms.

As springtails only occur in cases of significant maintenance errors and compacted, overly acidic soils, chemical control is unnecessary.

See PEST CONTROL. In an emergency, nematodes (Steinernema feltiae Filipjev) can also be applied.

Nothing could be found about springtails in the available literature. However, since extremely toxic chemicals such as arsenic, nicotine and cyanide were always used, the springtails had no chance of survival from the outset.