Help! What are these pests?

[Mcurran87]

Hi all! New here and to gardening. I just set up some raised planters and have some veggies and herbs growing. I noticed in two of the planters I have these little guys crawling all around the soil. I can’t determine what they are or if they are harming the plants? I do have some leaves with holes but believe that was a separate issue as I found a couple of wormy guys on the back of the leaves. I did neem oil all over as well as a insecticidal soap for organic gardening to be safe and these are still everywhere in the soil. Interestingly enough they don’t seem to be on the plants at all. What are they? Are they harmful? How to get rid of them?

Got a few close up pictures of them (they’re by the gnat)...they’re tiny, this is zoomed in. You can also see one on the bamboo stick to the left of where it says lettuce. Also got a video:

 

[Chuck]

Hi all! New here and to gardening. I just set up some raised planters and have some veggies and herbs growing. I noticed in two of the planters I have these little guys crawling all around the soil. I can’t determine what they are or if they are harming the plants? I do have some leaves with holes but believe that was a separate issue as I found a couple of wormy guys on the back of the leaves. I did neem oil all over as well as a insecticidal soap for organic gardening to be safe and these are still everywhere in the soil. Interestingly enough they don’t seem to be on the plants at all. What are they? Are they harmful? How to get rid of them?

Got a few close up pictures of them (they’re by the gnat)...they’re tiny, this is zoomed in. You can also see one on the bamboo stick to the left of where it says lettuce. Also got a video:

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I can't get enough detail to make an ID but can tell they are an insect. I would get a spinosad based insecticide and use it as a soil drench but if they aren't harming anything why bother?

 

[Mcurran87]

I am unsure if they are causing harm or not! There are holes in the leaves but I think those might be some sort of worm or caterpillar or something. Found two different ones (pics attached) - not sure what they are. I didn’t find any others so don’t know if they caused all the damage or there are more I’m not seeing. Whatever these other tiny pests are, they definitely seem to like the moist soil only and only when there’s shade. Once things dry up, they hide in the lower moist soil.

 

[Chuck]

I am unsure if they are causing harm or not! There are holes in the leaves but I think those might be some sort of worm or caterpillar or something. Found two different ones (pics attached) - not sure what they are. I didn’t find any others so don’t know if they caused all the damage or there are more I’m not seeing. Whatever these other tiny pests are, they definitely seem to like the moist soil only and only when there’s shade. Once things dry up, they hide in the lower moist soil.

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You can take care of any caterpillar problems by spraying with Bt (Bacillius thuringensis) Worm Killer

 

[Tetters]

The last photo is just a little slug - best picked off by hand and popped into a salt pot! Think twice before using lots of chemicals on your plants - especially food plants.

Welcome to the forum by the way