Soil Care Guide

Some springtails have only been proven to culture on soil or can be cultured on other media but not nearly as good as they do on soil. Unlike the arid and semi-arid care guides this guide will be for a much more humid culture.

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") or 8-16oz deli cups for smaller counts.
--400 mesh: 35μm ultrafine mesh (Can be bought at Springtails US)
--Glue (We use hot glue)

Setup Instructions:
--Cut or drill a small hole into the lid or side of the bin and glue your mesh over the hole. This will provide enough ventilation to prevent dangerous gas buildup while not being enough ventilation to compromise humidity.
--Ventilation hole size is relative to bin size, but we'd recommend a centimeter square hole over pin-prick holes as it better ensures proper gas exchange. 
--Add 1-3 inches of soil to your container.

Care and Harvesting:
--Just feed springtail food every 3-7 days (make sure all food is eaten between feedings and not to feed so much that it rots or molds) and make sure the soil stays moist.

--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:
--Note that moist soil is best, not sopping wet.