Hey everyone TONYSAC here I have a quick question im looking at my wet/damp sphagnum moss in my bins and I see tiny tiny tiny little white almost clear little looks like ants but white myb termites ??? anyone have any clues or had this experience before just wondering if I should deep six the moss and start over I have cuttings in there with root initials and didnt want to disturb them but if I have to I will. Thanks everyone  PS they move pretty fast to not super fast but there not slow moving.

Got a photo? I have never seen that myself in my moss. Doubtful they are termites though. I'll leave remediation advice to those who have had this experience. Good luck!

OMG!  Anything moving inside my rooting baggies would freak me out!  I'd spray with raid!

Suzi

No pics there so small I dont think there termites either but i dont know how else to explain what they look like. I will try and get a video of them that might do it and then ill post it if i can get it 

Sounds like fungus gnat larvae, small little maggots?

Do they look like this?

https://sharepoint.cahnrs.wsu.edu/blogs/urbanhort/archive/2011/01/04/bounce-%E2%80%93-it%E2%80%99s-not-just-a-fabric-softening-sheet-.aspx

Def not maggots they move like little ants

ewww, but could be part of the living soil..no?

Absolutely 100 per not the things in pic

So they didn't look anything like this? :  http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/show_single_post?pid=38666521&postcount=13

Some folks using sphagnum moss in this thread had similar:  http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/Tiny-Worms-4516006

If not, no clue what they are.

Nope Jason there not worms 

Hmmm... Pics would be helpful

I have been trying for 45 minutes now its virtually impossible they move way to fast and are way to small to get a pic by the time the camera (good one) has a focus they move away im at a loss hopefully they wont do any damage to the cuttings  

focus on where they tend to be and wait till one comes in to view to snap the photo.  You can blow up the picture if needed.  Patience young padawan.  Alternately, get some out, put them in a confined space and shoot them there.

Ok they kinda look like springtails but I havent seen them jump yet I used a magnify glass they have two feelers (just like ants) and looks like 4 to 6 legs and they walk around like there looking for something 

I would probably re-do the cuttings anyway.  The critters are not likely to be friendly, or if they are they're there for a feast of what shouldn't be there.  Either way your cuttings need a better home.

Grain mites maybe im still researching they kinda make sense because I had some left over scrap cuttings I forgot about in a zip lock with the moss and they decade and thats what these things eat organic decomposed matter if I take out the cuttings now ill have to clean them all up and lose all the root initials ??? argh dont wanna do that 

RAID!!

Then im sure to kill the cuttings 

Has raid ever killed you?  or your plants?  NOPE!  It goes for the bad guys!

Suzi

Yea but these are delicate little cuttings in moist moss that stuff will soak into the moss and get on the cuttings etc 

So let the bugs kill them!  Your choice!!  Either way, gone!  OR, you could try bleach or peroxide.  Bugs hate that too.  But plants just rock on!

Suzi

I would never let them kill my cuttings but I def will not murder them I was thinking bleach solution as well. 

Sorry to hear you got bugs. It is possible they're harmless. There are many tiny bugs that feed on dead  and decaying matter in soil. There is a very common sub millimeter bug in my garden soil and grass in the summer and fall. This bug came to mind when I read your post, but searching the net didn't yield a picture or name of the bug I was trying to find. They remind me of a cross between a termite and a wood louse(aka roly poly or pill bug) except waaay smaller.
Anyways, hydrogen peroxide would get my first vote, then bleach, maybe neem oil if you had it.

take the cutting out. sanitize it and re-pack it. no reason to wonder what those are. if they haven't eaten into the cuttings, why bother with ID? get rid of the s-moss and the bag and start new.

I have had a simaler problem when soil is to moist. look like what i can only call soil mites. water soil with 1/3 hand soap 2/3 water. soft soap works well and will not harm cuttings or plants. the soap messes with thier reproduction. after 2 treatments you will not see as many or they will all be gone. if it is what i have had.