Small white worms in soil

[Davevall]

Can anyone help me identify the small white worms looking creatures that are in the soil of my BRT and Bouginvilla? They are about an 1/8" long and constantly squirming around.
Hopefully you can see them in the pictures or video.

 

[penumbra]

So sorry I can't see anything in the photo. It is a bit out of focus and I need cataract surgery.
I can see that the soil looks wet and I am betting on fungus gnat larvae. Have you seen any tiny little critters flitting around?

 

[Davevall]

So sorry I can't see anything in the photo. It is a bit out of focus and I need cataract surgery.
I can see that the soil looks wet and I am betting on fungus gnat larvae. Have you seen any tiny little critters flitting around?

I do see even smaller bugs running around that look like tiny beatles and are kind of reddish in color. The worm looking things are almost a clear to white in color and 1/16-1/8" long.

 

[Rivian]

Small white worms in soil sounds like nematodes to me, they eat dead and living plant matter. I regard them as parasites

 

[Davevall]

Better picture uploaded.

 

[Bnana]

Nematodes are much smaller and most are harmless (and they are everywhere).
This does look like a fungus gnat but it's hard to see. Keeping the soil less wet will solve that.
The beetle like things are likely collembola, they are harmless and should be in your soil.

 

[Davevall]

Nematodes are much smaller and most are harmless (and they are everywhere).
This does look like a fungus gnat but it's hard to see. Keeping the soil less wet will solve that.
The beetle like things are likely collembola, they are harmless and should be in your soil.

From what I was able to find on line I think you are correct. They look just like fungus gnats larvae from the photos I have seen. They are very resilient and had to get rid of.

 

[penumbra]

If you sprinkle a little bit of ground cinnamon on the soil the fungus gnats will go away.
Regarding nematodes, indeed most are harmless in in the natural order of things, they are quite beneficial, as are most fungus, bacteria, protozoans etc.

 

[Davevall]

If you sprinkle a little bit of ground cinnamon on the soil the fungus gnats will go away.
Regarding nematodes, indeed most are harmless in in the natural order of things, they are quite beneficial, as are most fungus, bacteria, protozoans etc.

Thank you !!

 

[Mapleminx]

If you sprinkle a little bit of ground cinnamon on the soil the fungus gnats will go away.

Now that’s an interesting little tidbit! Learned something new today.

 

[leatherback]

nematodes

unlikely. Most nematodes are too small to just spot.

 

[leatherback]

It is a small fly-like larvea. COuld be fungus gnats but also flies lay their eggs in fertilizer. In all cases keeping drier will help. In pretty much all cases they are harmless.