Pest profile

Garden Symphylan

Scutigerella immaculata and relatives (family Scutigerellidae) · Symphyla (class): Scutigerellidae[2]

Garden symphylans aren't insects. These small white soil dwellers with 12 pairs of legs feed on roots and can stunt or kill seedlings.[1]

White, many-legged garden symphylan with long antennae on dark soil
White, many-legged garden symphylan with long antennae on dark soil. (c) Zachary Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0

How to identify it

  • They're slender and white, with twelve pairs of legs, fourteen body segments and a pair of antennae.[1]
  • They run quickly when exposed to light.[1]

Where it lives

They're associated mainly with moist, organically rich soil.[1]

US map: public records from 10 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

They feed on decaying as well as living plant material in the soil.[1]

Damage and signs

  • They feed on roots of many crops and weeds and can damage seedlings before or after they emerge.[1]
  • Feeding can slow the growth of larger plants; strawberries are among the crops damaged.[1]

Health risk

They feed on roots and organic matter; UC IPM mentions no risk to people.[1]

Control

Prevention

Garden symphylans are difficult to manage; flooding for three weeks can help where the soil holds water.[1]

Traps and physical control

Rototilling dry soil vigorously just before planting may reduce numbers by abrading their soft bodies.[1]

Common questions

What are the tiny white bugs that run from light in my soil?
They may be garden symphylans, which have 12 pairs of legs and run quickly when uncovered.[1]
Are symphylans insects?
No. They have 12 pairs of legs and 14 body segments, more than any insect.[1]

Sources

  1. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Garden Symphylans (Pests in Gardens and Landscapes).” ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/PESTS/gardensymphylans.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. iNaturalist, “Scutigerellidae taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/185594 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-14. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.