There are spring tails and thousands of species of soil mites and I have seen both in my potted plants in the past. Most of these types of critters feed on decaying organic matter but I can't help but think that an over abundance of them could be bad for a plants root system. I would use an insecticidal soap solution and water the plant well with it, should take care of the problem. I will also spray a neem oil solution on the surface of the soil after I water if there are any bugs present. Repotting might be a good idea if the plant has not been doing well and it will give you a chance to take a look at the roots. Mike

i see movement .... but i cant focus on the bugs. the white stuff in the soil.. is just a fungus that is naturally breaking down your very fine soil ... ignore it ... its natural ... you ask if they are eating the roots.. i ask.. whats your concern.. look liked a healthy root mass to me ... you might want to try shaking some on a black sheet of paper .. and taking pix.. ken

Symphylans fit that description except for the length-- they're longer than one mm. Pupulations are enhanced by lots of manure. You might look up info on them to see if they fit.

Yes, that's exactly what I was expecting, they are know around here as peat pellets (that's why I asked where you live-& the name on container was a clue too). It was probably too wet, and that's why bugs like it. It could be difficult to keep peat watered 'just right'. If wet, it very easily becomes too saturated & could cause root rot, especially for succulents. Very easily it turns into a peat soup :) If it dries out, it could be as hard as rock. That's why it is not recommended for growing plants. But it is OK for seed starting, or even rooting the leaves as you did above. Don't byrry them, they are growing roots into it. As they grow bigger (the babies), it would be better to pot them up into well draining potting mix. Perlite and/or grit could be mixed with some soil. If you could find cactus & succulent soil, add at least 50% of perlite and mix well. That would be much better to use for your plants. And the stones you have are nice top-dressing, just as you have it. Could you find some fine gravel? It would be good to mix some with perlite if available. (Perlite should be available in any garden center, or some other stores that carry gardening supplies and plants). To check if plant needs watering, you can use wooden skewer. Insert at least half way into the mix. If it comes out with particles sticking to it, no need to water yet. Rina