little black bugs

[maplekid]

they are everywhere i dont know what the are and if the are harmfull. they are alllover the ground and today i noticed they are getting in the buckets and sitting around the tapholes. they are about the size of a flea.
any help is apreciated. thank you,nate

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Nate,
We noticed "snow fleas" all over yesterday. I don't know what the true name of them is. I don't think they harm anything. That is what filters are for:) .

[fred]

dont worry about it ,itll just add flavor

[Bucket Head]

Just do what I do.

Whenever someone asks about the possibility of squirrels, chipmunks, mice, bugs,etc. getting in, I tell them thats our special "sausage added" maple syrup.

And as a selling point, I mention that its the same price as our regular syrup!

Let us know how your sales are of your new and improved syrup, LOL.

Steve

[3rdgen.maple]

Maplekid we get those snowfleas here too. Don,t get them every year but they go away in short order. They have never had any adverse effects to us, altleast that I have seen. I would just make sure you are filtering your SAP before boiling.

[VA maple guy]

We have them down here in Virginia to. I just filter them out before the sap goes into the tank.
Gerry

[mfchef54]

Have them here too. agreeing with everyone else just filter. no harm that I've experienced.

[cncaboose]

likely a small critter called a "springtail". Harmless and uses a spring setup on their backside to hop.

[mapleman3]

http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/snow_flea.htm