---
title: "Need some help to ID what these are. I’m finding them in my catch…"
description: "Need some help to ID what these are. I’m finding them in my catch trays and in the water after I’ve bottom watered. They are almost microscopic. Both photos…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/Ktw8B5CcTlSQqDurUu87ug/XJkqdljOCbY4pO0khrJrUH"
community: "Pets and Plants"
author: "GreenLeaf"
published: "2025-07-22T22:36:15.232911Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/u2Rb07DIhCw9zCYixTDSxFPEy0Mr6tu5Z8oplUQ0m0I/7pWLWnykQ2e51BqMVGXnog.webp?size=large"
---

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# Need some help to ID what these are. I’m finding them in my catch…

_Posted by GreenLeaf on 2025-07-22_

Need some help to ID what these are. I’m finding them in my catch trays and in the water after I’ve bottom watered. They are almost microscopic. Both photos are taken with my phone on full zoom through a magnifying glass. I’ve tried many image searches and all it comes back with are ticks. But I know that’s not it. They don’t seem to fly, and move at “average” speed (not really slow but not really fast). I haven’t found them on any plants, and the plants that they’re in the soil of don’t seem to be affected in any way.

![Attachment 1 of 2](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/u2Rb07DIhCw9zCYixTDSxFPEy0Mr6tu5Z8oplUQ0m0I/7pWLWnykQ2e51BqMVGXnog.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 2 of 2](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/u2Rb07DIhCw9zCYixTDSxFPEy0Mr6tu5Z8oplUQ0m0I/Jhtn1Lq4SOKpvvnFPePVTA.webp?size=large)

## 3 comments

### happysoxdonkey commented on 2025-07-22

I don’t know. I did a google reverse image search and it said flea or bed bug.

#### GreenLeaf replied on 2025-07-22

Yeah I’ve gotten those results too, but these are significantly smaller, which is what’s throwing me off 😕.  
These seem to be 0.5mm and bed bugs are 4-5mm and fleas 1.5-3mm.

### Leafy commented on 2025-07-23

They look a bit similar to something I have on my leaf, I didn’t notice mine moving however. I know my plant has scale but I wasn’t sure what made these dots or if they are a black coloured variety of scale.

I’ve read young scale bugs are slower moving, they don’t typically live in soil but might be found there if they’re looking for a place to feed. So I’m not sure if you think scale could be a match for your photos.

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/C7tED2X1-SnrVz1DY6ZBUIjLVbCn_Tmulo_A3qtWX5I/mGNw7wS8RYORGh3vEzZQrQ.webp?size=large)

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