Springtails

6411. Good day, My name is Ed and I live south west of Edmonton, Alberta about 30 miles. Lately I have been seeing many tiny little specks on my kitchen counter, some in the sink and even a couple on the bathroom countertop. They are small, basically a speck moving around but they seem to be able to jump about 1 inch. We have been trying to get rid of them and even with the kitchen being emptied we are still finding them. It is hard to even get a decent picture as they are so small. What are they? Thank you. Parkland County, Alberta. Canada

Number 6411. These are springtails, primitive arthropods in the order Collembola, closely related to true insects. These basically are nuisance pests best controlled through proper moisture management (they require moist conditions/high humidity in order to thrive).