Black Insects in My Soil

Mites

• Mites are tiny members of the arachnid family that inhabit soil during the winter months. Spider mite species are black, brown, green, red or yellow and are often too small to see without a microscope. They feed on fungi and some bacteria, keeping those populations in a beneficial balance. Some mites shred and ingest organic matter in the soil, preparing it for further decomposition.

Beetles

• Flea beetles are 1/10 of an inch long with black or brown bodies, sometimes with yellow stripes. They lay one or two generations of eggs in the soil each year. Ground beetles as well as flea beetles contribute to the health of soil by feeding on harmful insect pests that destroy crops. Beetles also chew organic plant matter to feed on its bacteria and fungi.

Millipedes

• Millipedes burrow in soil, carrying moisture and oxygen as they go. Their bodies are black or brown and they range in size from microscopic to 11 inches in length. Each body segment has a pair of short legs. They move slowly but are powerful burrowers. As millipedes burrow and feed they mineralize nutrients from other microorganisms and excrete nutrients for plants.

Sowbugs

• Sowbugs and pillbugs have convex, segmented bodies that are black or slate-gray. They are between 1/4 and 1/2 inch in length with two tail-like appendages protruding from the hind end. Sowbugs graze through soil feeding on decaying plant material and depositing nutrients for other microorganisms to feed on. They carry beneficial bacteria on their hard outer shells and in their digestive system.