White Springtails (Folsomia candida)

White Springtails for Sale — Folsomia candida

The tiniest janitors in the business. Mold doesn't stand a chance.

White Springtails are tiny clean-up crew microfauna used in humid bioactive enclosures. They feed on decaying organic matter, fungi and many types of mold, helping recycle organic material and support a functioning enclosure ecosystem.

They pair well with isopods and are also commonly used in planted terrariums, vivariums, bioactive reptile and amphibian enclosures, dart frog setups and other consistently moist habitats where Folsomia candida is appropriate.

This starter culture is designed to help establish your own colony. Add the culture to a suitable enclosure or maintain a separate master culture to seed multiple bioactive setups over time.

-AUTOMATIC 20% OFF 4+ SPRINGTAIL CULTURES-

Additional Information

• Captive bred.
• Do not release into the wild.

HPI Preferred Habitat Targets: 68–72°F; consistently moist or humid culture conditions; stable indoor temperatures with no direct sunlight or excessive heat. Folsomia candida is not recommended for arid or dry setups.

Diet: Springtails naturally feed on decaying organic matter, fungi and mold within the enclosure. For maintained starter and master cultures, we recommend Holy-Poly Springtail Food. Sprinkle a very light dusting onto the culture surface and feed again after most of the previous food has been consumed.

Unpacking & Continuing Your Culture:

1. Add a small amount of room-temperature water to the culture if needed so springtails float.
2. Pour the water and floating springtails into the desired enclosure to seed it.
3. Feed the remaining starter culture with a very light dusting of HPI Springtail Food.
4. Keep the Calcium Clay moist but not flooded, close the lid, and keep the culture at room temperature away from direct sunlight.

Reproduction & Life Cycle: At normal indoor room temperatures, Folsomia candida mature quickly and can begin reproducing at around 3 weeks old. They reproduce through parthenogenesis, meaning females can produce fertile eggs without a mate, and those eggs typically hatch in about 7–10 days. Because new generations mature so quickly and each adult can continue producing multiple batches of eggs, a properly maintained starter culture can develop into a large, thriving colony in a relatively short period of time. Under typical room-temperature culture conditions, adults may live for several months, often around 4–6 months.

Useful For: Isopod bins, bioactive terrariums, planted vivariums, suitable reptile and amphibian enclosures, dart frog setups, microfauna cultures and classroom or homeschool observation of decomposition and small-scale ecosystem processes.

White Springtail FAQ

Do springtails get rid of mold? Yes. White Springtails eat mold, fungi and decaying organic matter, which helps keep humid enclosures and isopod bins clean.

How fast do White Springtails multiply? Quickly. They can start reproducing at about 3 weeks old without needing a mate, and eggs hatch in about 7–10 days.

Can I keep springtails with isopods? Yes. They pair well with isopods in humid setups and handle the mold and fine debris isopods leave behind.

Is there a discount for multiple cultures? Yes. Save 20% automatically on 4 or more springtail cultures. Live cultures ship on Tuesdays.

Keep cultures going with Springtail Food and DIY Master Culture Supplies, or pair them with fast-breeding isopods.