Are Springtails Coming Up Through The Bathtub Drain?

When lots of tiny fleas start springing around in your bathtub, you may wonder: What is going on? On closer examination, you may identify the pests as springtails. While it is certainly a relief to find out that you don't have hundreds of fleas in your home, you may be left wondering how these flea-like insects invaded and what to do about them. Let's take a look.

Do springtails come up through bathtub drains?

We're happy to say that it is unlikely that you have springtails entering your home through your drains. They rarely enter this way and only under specific conditions. It is likely that they entered through gaps and cracks in the exterior of your home.

A common way springtails enter is by way of gaps in bathtub grout. What happens is water runs down the wall and into the gap. Water damage leads to wood rot and high humidity in the floor or wall. When springtails near the exterior of your home find their way inside, they gravitate to humid or damp conditions. They'll move through wall and floor voids to find their way to your bathroom. Once in your bathroom wall or floor, they'll come up out of the gap in your grout and find their way into your drain, where it is dark and damp.

You can also find springtails getting into sink drains. This is less likely because it takes more effort for them to get up onto your bathroom counters and into the sink. But it does happen.

Okay. You know how they get into your home and where they go once they're inside, but why are they near your home in the first place? 

What attracts springtails to Arizona homes?

These insects have a high-moisture requirement. They are most often found in yards with lots of moisture. If you have landscaping that stays moist or organic debris between your plants, you can invite these insects to your property.

If springtails settle around your home's exterior walls, they may move inside when the conditions become dry. To do so, they use their forked, tail-like appendages (called furcula) to spring up to gaps or cracks above the ground's surface. They also have adhesive organs called tenant hairs on their legs that produce a secretion allowing them to stick to surfaces. Due to their small size, they can easily pass through gaps in window or door frames, thin openings in weatherstripping, spaces around utility conduits, and other small spaces.

What can you do about springtails?

On the inside of your home, it is essential to make repairs. Seal gaps in tub grout. Seal gaps in baseboards and window frames. Repair any water damaged wood.

On the outside of your home, remove organic debris and manage how you water your plants. Overwatering and overfertilization can cause you to continue to have pest pressures.

Another way you can guard your exterior is by signing up for one of our year-round home pest control plans. Available in Phoenix, Tucson, and throughout our Southern Arizona service area, ongoing pest protection is the ideal solution to keep pests out of your home and away from your family. 

Home pest control in Phoenix, Tucson & Southern AZ

When you sign up for one of our Defense plans, our pest control specialists will tackle the hard work for you and do the job right.

• We inspect your exterior and consider pest harborage, conducive conditions, and entry points.
• We provide ongoing pest treatments that stop springtails and other pests from making their way inside.
• We apply materials that reduce pest populations and make it very hard for pests to live next to your home.

Compare our residential plans below or contact us today for more information!