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Soil pests

I am trying to identify a ?pest in my allotment. They are white approx 2-5mm long and they look a bit like a worm but with a bigger head?? There are everywhere, they attach to any roots, or anything underground. My soon was digging a hole and filling it with water and there were hundreds of them in the "soup". How can I get rid of them. Previous years I just wash them off but their numbers seem to be on the increase.

Posts

  • figratfigrat Posts: 1,619

    Unfortunately I can't post a pic, but maybe you could google vine weevil larvae to see if that's the culprit?

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    2 - 5 mm is mighty small for vine weevil, do you mean cms?

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • EmjayEmjay Posts: 4

    image

     This is the best phot I can get, any ideas anyone???

  • marshmellomarshmello Posts: 683

    Do they jump? or have legs.

  • EmjayEmjay Posts: 4

    No they don't jump, I think they may have legs but are too small for me to see, they look to have antenae?

  • marshmellomarshmello Posts: 683

    I'm inclined to say, although the pic is well blurred - white spring tails, Protaphorura armata. However, there are many kinds, some jump...some don't. They kind of fit the bill with regards to the environment they like - wet/damp soil.

    Google on images, see if the close-up matches what you've actually seen yourself. 

    I have come across the very tiny small ones in compost before, but never ones this size.

  • EmjayEmjay Posts: 4

    Thanks. The whitespringtail does look the closet match  so far although the ones in my ssoil are larger and i haven't noticed them jump. Any ideas on how to control them? 

  • marshmellomarshmello Posts: 683

    I'd say, try to keep the soil as dry as you can. If you do have to water, use a can as opposed to a hose. These things thrive in moist/damp/wet soil - or try to find some sort of product that tackles these creatures.

    Sorry, not much help... I'm I.

     

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