White Springtail Starter Culture (Folsomia candida)
White Springtails (Folsomia candida) are tiny clean-up crew organisms commonly used in terrariums and bioactive enclosures. These omnivorous springtails feed on decaying organic material, fungi, and some molds, helping break down organic waste within the enclosure.
Springtails work especially well alongside isopods as part of a bioactive clean-up crew.
White Springtails prefer humid, moist environments and are not intended for arid or consistently dry enclosures.
What Is a Starter Culture?
This is a starter culture of live White Springtails (Folsomia candida) shipped on our custom moist Calcium Clay medium.
A starter culture can be:
- Added directly to a compatible terrarium or bioactive enclosure; or
- Maintained separately as a master culture so you can grow and distribute springtails into multiple enclosures over time.
Starter cultures commonly contain springtails of multiple sizes and life stages, including very small juveniles that may be difficult to see.
Unpacking Your Springtail Starter Culture
Your springtails are shipped on a custom Calcium Clay medium that should still be moist when received.
To seed an enclosure and continue maintaining your starter culture:
- Open the culture container.
- Add a small amount of room-temperature water to the container if needed. Springtails will float on the water's surface.
- Gently pour the water and floating springtails into the enclosure you want to seed.
- Add one piece of uncooked raw rice to the remaining starter culture as a food source.
- Lightly mist the Calcium Clay with room-temperature water as needed. The clay should remain moist, but not flooded.
- Replace the lid and keep the culture at normal room temperature, away from direct sunlight.
As the remaining springtails reproduce, you can repeat the process to seed additional enclosures.
Helpful Tip
Don't assume your culture is empty just because you don't see many springtails immediately. White Springtail cultures can contain numerous tiny juveniles that are difficult to see with the naked eye.
For live-animal shipping and Live Arrival Guarantee requirements, please review our Shipping Policy.