How to knock down springtails in a crawlspace with a dirt floor.

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How to knock down springtails in a crawlspace with a dirt floor.

We have a dirt floor crawlspace under our living room addition. We have had springtails for years and have good control for the most part on the outside. However they persist under the crawlspace. We place on replacing our vapor barrier but would like to treat the area both before and after placing the new one. We are ripping up the floor and need a good quick knock down of their numbers before opening up the floor. Then we need advice on what to use to treat the soil before placing the new barrier. We are currently using Apline, Transport, and Tekko for our outside and inside treatment. I refuse to encapsulate when we have them underneath in the soil and will just infest the encapsulation. What would your recommendation be? No mold issues or cuddling. Just moist because if the vapor barrier underneath, not on top. Moisture level when checked was about 30 to 40 percent.

Status: Open Jul 04, 2025 - 04:35 PM

Pest Questions, Product Questions

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RonDawson

Jul 07, 2025 - 09:19 AM

There are no "best" pesticides that will last for any length of time in that environment. There are no best products to use in this situation under the house. If Alpine and Transport are not working, then Termidor or Taurus might be the key. However, due to the high moisture, don't depend on any pesticide lasting more than af few days, 1-2 weeks at best. Outdoors, Bifen XTS will provide the fastest knockdown. It can also be used under the house, although it has a strong odor until dry.

Using an IGR such as Tekko can provide some help, but in most cases, keeping the pesticides active long enough to control them until they "cycle out" is key. This could take weeks or months. Unless there is some reason why the moisture is that high, using fans and ventilating the crawl space may be the ultimate solution. Drying it out would solve most of the Springtail problem.

I'm thinking that Termidor or Bifen XTS might be the best product to spray and then try to dry the area out with either a fan or a dehumidifier before applying the new moisture barrier. Ultimately Termidor under the moisture barrier might give the best longevity but I'm not sure what kind of effect it will have on the Springtails. It seems to kill all kinds of insects fairly well.

Source: https://www.epestsupply.com/how-to-ki...

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