Bristletail

Rockporter · May 13, 2017

Are these guys good guys or bad guys?

I just got my new bugzooka and while in the garden dusting with some captain jacks I saw this bug on the leaf of my bush cucumber, so I collected it in the bugzooka. It is still alive amazingly and that's what bugzooka says about their product. Well, got to working some more out there and just brought him in 1.5 hours later. He is still alive in there.

Anyway, I knew he looked sort of like a silverfish so did a search on it and immediately found what I was looking for. They say it is harmless, but want to make sure it really is harmless in the vegetable garden, not just harmless to the soil. If he is harmless I want to release him back into the garden.

http://www.insectidentification.org/...ng-Bristletail

Cole_Robbie · May 13, 2017

Looks fine to me.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeognatha

They feed primarily on algae, but also lichens, mosses, or decaying organic detritus.

oakley · May 13, 2017

Seems to be a good guy and most important it is possibly a sign that your soil and
environment is healthy...

Rockporter · May 14, 2017

I thought it was a good guy, and I was surprised by the "good soil environment is healthy" thing. It says they are found in forests, I don't have any forests near me, lol. I put him back out after I posted, I figured he was harmless.

Cole_Robbie · May 14, 2017

He reminds me of a pill bug: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armadillidiidae

I have a ton of them. I think they nibble on my plants just a little when I first set them out, and may have even killed one or two, but I leave them alone. I try to embrace as much life as possible in the garden. Everything poops, even bugs, and that makes good soil.

Rockporter · May 14, 2017

I have numerous pill bugs around here. I used to play with them when I was a kid. Loved how I could roll them around, lol.

May 13, 2017	#1
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	Bristletail Are these guys good guys or bad guys? I just got my new bugzooka and while in the garden dusting with some captain jacks I saw this bug on the leaf of my bush cucumber, so I collected it in the bugzooka. It is still alive amazingly and that's what bugzooka says about their product. Well, got to working some more out there and just brought him in 1.5 hours later. He is still alive in there. Anyway, I knew he looked sort of like a silverfish so did a search on it and immediately found what I was looking for. They say it is harmless, but want to make sure it really is harmless in the vegetable garden, not just harmless to the soil. If he is harmless I want to release him back into the garden. http://www.insectidentification.org/...ng-Bristletail __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

May 14, 2017	#4
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	I thought it was a good guy, and I was surprised by the "good soil environment is healthy" thing. It says they are found in forests, I don't have any forests near me, lol. I put him back out after I posted, I figured he was harmless. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~ Last edited by Rockporter; May 14, 2017 at 02:51 AM.

May 14, 2017	#6
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	I have numerous pill bugs around here. I used to play with them when I was a kid. Loved how I could roll them around, lol. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

May 13, 2017	#2
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Looks fine to me. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeognatha They feed primarily on algae, but also lichens, mosses, or decaying organic detritus.

May 13, 2017	#3
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	Seems to be a good guy and most important it is possibly a sign that your soil and environment is healthy...