We have eight different species of springtails available. Some cannot tolerate arid conditions at all, and some are well-rounded and can tolerate a wide range of conditions. We keep all of our springtails on a combination of peat moss and organic soil, and we feed them a small pinch of active dry baking yeast every two to three days. We have experimented with many types of substrates and clay and charcoal over the years. The peat moss and organic soil works best for us. It can easily be added directly to your bioactive substrate, or if you want to use some of the springtails intermittently as a supplemental feeder, you can place a piece of charcoal, bark, or a leaf on top of the springtail culture and the springtails will congregate on the bark, leaf, or charcoal and you can tap or blow off the springtails into where you need them. If you'd prefer to start a clay culture, use the same strategy to transfer the springtails to the clay culture cup. Keep in mind that not all springtails do well on charcoal or clay. Our favorite all-around great springtail is Entomobrya Sp. Silver. They are small but very hardy and tolerate a very wide range of conditions.
Humid/Tropical Springtails - Folsomia Candida, Entomobrya Sp. Silver, Entomobrya confusa Compost Varicolor, Coecobrya tenebricosa "Sinella Tropical Pink", Lepidocyrtus cinereus 24K, Pseudosinella alba Prospectors, Pseudosinella rolfsi Rutabaga Runners, Pseudosinella Sp. Bylas Ant, Priostoma minuta, Yuukianura aphoruroides Orange, Neanura Growae Florida Orange, Lobella Sp. Thai Red, Ceratophysella Sp. Yellow, Ceratophysella Sp. Lilac, Arrhhopalites caecus Globular Cave.
Semi-Arid Springtails - Coecobrya tenebricosa Sinella Tropical Pink, Entomobrya Sp. Silver, Entomobrya confusa Compost Varicolor, Entomobrya unostrigata Cotton Springtails, Lepidocyrtus cinereus 24K, Arrhhopalites caecus Globular Cave.