--- title: "Help! Found these little white bugs in my soil mix. Do I need to…" description: "Help! Found these little white bugs in my soil mix. Do I need to scrap all of it and start over? Soil is in a “moisture and pest resistant” container but there…" url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ/0byDehaOL4MTrkz8eWrLAB" community: "Pests, diseases and problems" author: "Tori B" published: "2025-04-20T14:24:10.700303Z" language: "en" image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/KNL4diTynKQlqdoYVmbaRAZwpMXHCH_myZ5nQBKRm5s/7Az5WMs6S9SRwE_Wv9dByA.webp?size=large" --- [Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [Pests, diseases and problems](https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ.md) # Help! Found these little white bugs in my soil mix. Do I need to… _Posted by Tori B on 2025-04-20_ Help! Found these little white bugs in my soil mix. Do I need to scrap all of it and start over? Soil is in a “moisture and pest resistant” container but there is a ton of moisture inside… ![Attachment 1 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/KNL4diTynKQlqdoYVmbaRAZwpMXHCH_myZ5nQBKRm5s/7Az5WMs6S9SRwE_Wv9dByA.webp?size=large) ![Attachment 2 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/KNL4diTynKQlqdoYVmbaRAZwpMXHCH_myZ5nQBKRm5s/hqxPBr21SAaGj6aH1bUN5Q.webp?size=large) ![Attachment 3 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/KNL4diTynKQlqdoYVmbaRAZwpMXHCH_myZ5nQBKRm5s/drc_EYGPTWujlH5sQK998w.webp?size=large) ## 15 comments ### KJM commented on 2025-04-20 Unless I'm not looking at the wrong thing those are not bugs that's pieces of perlite. #### KJM replied on 2025-04-20 Ah wait! I see the bugs! Possibly thrips. #### Tori B replied on 2025-04-20 Ugh, they’re all over the scoop and I’ve found some in the soil :( ### KJM commented on 2025-04-20 There is another bug whose name I can't remember that are actually beneficial. It's spring something or other. I'm inclined to think it might be that one because thrips are attracted to flowers and you clearly don't have flowers there right now. #### KJM replied on 2025-04-20 Springtail that's the name springtail. That is more likely what you have. #### Tori B replied on 2025-04-20 Interesting, thank you very much for your input! :) ### Bebe🌵🤍 commented on 2025-04-20 You can treat the soil for pests. Water it with 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 5 parts water for a few weeks and it’ll get rid of them. You can also use any pesticide to get rid of them. People treat soil all the time with pesticides before using it ### Sunny commented on 2025-04-20 I bake my questionable soil out in an old metal or cast iron pot over my charcoal grill. I stir the soil to evenly disperse the heat. Then, let it cool. I have rinsed the soil in hot water when I’m in a hurry. Heat treatment kills the fungus, pests, eggs and weed seeds. 🪴🍀 #### KJM replied on 2025-04-20 Years ago I worked at a place and we had a metal box about 5 ft square and 3 ft tall, with no bottom in it. We would fill it with soil mix, a little water, cover it and turn on the heat. 4 hours later we had a big pile of sterilized soil. I'm very glad we don't do that anymore! #### Buffy replied on 2025-04-20 Just interested as to why you are glad you don’t do that anymore.. a lot of work to do this or is there another reason. I truly wonder.. Lol.. I have no social life.. ha ha🥳 #### KJM replied on 2025-04-20 It was very work intensive because we had many plants to plant. Shovel it in, shovel it out and then do it again and again. Where I work today we grow 14,000 or more of a rotating primary crop and I just can't imagine hand shoveling that much dirt! #### Sunny replied on 2025-04-20 Turning dirt in the hot sun is no fun. 😁 ### KJM commented on 2025-04-20 Not to mention it didn't smell very good. #### Sunny replied on 2025-04-20 The smell is why I never baked my soil indoors in my oven. I used my little bbq pit. I don’t even like the scent of fresh pine bark mulch. 😂 #### Bebe🌵🤍 replied on 2025-04-22 Omg I can only imagine 😭 --- _Source: the Planta community (https://getplanta.com). Reading is open to everyone. To post, comment and like, get the Planta app: https://getplanta.com/download_