Soil Care Guide (Special)

This section is for springtails who have only been proven to culture on soil but have added ventilation and humidity recommendations which do not fit perfectly into the other care guides. The species this care guide is recommended for benefit greatly from added airflow via cross-ventilation but do not necessarily need a dedicated dry side. They also benefit from added clutter such as leaf litter or eggcrate to provide humidity micro-gradients. The species this guide is recommended for can be cultured following other soil based care guides but for best results we recommend following the additional airflow and clutter instructions provided here.

Materials Required:
--Soil (could be our Premium Detritivore Substrate, topsoil, coir, etc.)
--Sealed bin (We highly recommend the "Mainstays 11.8 Cup Tritan Food Storage Containers")
--400 mesh: 35μm ultrafine mesh (Can be bought at Springtails US)
--Glue (We use hot glue)
--Leaf litter, egg crate, bark, or other clutter that the springtails can go under/on top of.

Setup Instructions:
--Cut or drill a medium sized ventilation hole into all four sides of the bin to create cross airflow and glue your mesh over the holes.
--Ventilation hole size is relative to bin size, but we'd recommend one inch circle holes for the recommended Mainstay bins.
--Add 1-3 inches of soil to your container.
--Add a layer of leaf litter and/or multiple hides.

Care and Harvesting:
--Just feed springtail food every 3-7 (make sure all food is eaten between feedings and not to feed so much that it rots or molds) days and make sure the soil stays moist. The soil directly in front of the vent holes can be allowed to dry out.

--The easiest way to harvest from soil is to have bark, charcoal, or other hides in the culture for them to gather on. You can then pick these pieces up with tongs and tap them off wherever they are needed. You can also use an entomology aspirator to easily collect them directly off the soil.

Extra Information:
--Lowered humidity through the increased airflow provided by the cross-vents is very beneficial to the species this guide is recommended for.
--By providing a layer of leaf litter or other clutter the springtails are more easily allowed to regulate their needs. They can go on top of the clutter to enjoy drier air or they can hide under the clutter to enjoy the moisture/humidity provided there. Allowing the soil directly in front of the vents to dry out also allows the springtails to better regulate their own moisture/humidity needs.
--Species this guide is recommended for tend to benefit from lichen in their diet but it is not strictly required. Still, we offer lichen covered twigs or bark as often as possible.