# Mites destroyed my springtail culture



## gardennub (Dec 10, 2011)

Ok so up to now I have managed to avoid mites all around. About a month ago though I noticed mites in my iso culture, but no big deal because the isos are still thriving and i just stopped feeding them anything but leaves for a while. Now my springtail culture is infested and it has caused some real damage. The numbers of springtails has fallen drastically. My culture is on 100% charcoal and I only use yeast only. What can I do to fix this, just start over? So far I haven't had any mites in my FFs that I can see. Kind of nervous though because I have to keep my cultures together.


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

Try to isolate your uneffected cultures from the mite infected cultures. Im not sure if there is anything to do to save them, hopefully someone can chime in. But I had the same thing happen to me a couple weeks ago. they eventually wiped out every last springtail.
I would say cut your losses and start over, and keep cultures on mite paper.


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## bobrez (Sep 10, 2011)

Ageed on using mite paper  Good thread on cleaning cx's by Doug check it out


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## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

this might help with the springs
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/fo...clean-your-mite-contaminated-springtails.html
i did that and it cleaned up my springs. also make sure the container you are using is airtight(or at least watertight)


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## gardennub (Dec 10, 2011)

OK sweet, thanks.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

They already linked you to my cleaning thread. (thanks guys) Here is how I store my bugs to help keep them mite free as long as possible. http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/79208-pumilo-dougs-bugs-my-new-closet.html


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## JeremyHuff (Apr 22, 2008)

The mites in the isopods and springtails are not the same type that infest ff cultures. They don't affect the isos, but will wipe out springtails very fast.


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## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

i've noticed that after the mites in an iso culture boom, the isos start to boom as well.


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