White tiny bouncy things

Blerg, I looked at the top of the soil of my basil (inside the house) today and noticed teeny tiny white things. First I didn't realise they were alive but when I blew on the soil they moved. They don't look like mites this time, they are longer. I thought they were weeny maggots at first because they were long. They might have legs. When I disturb them they seem to bounce around a bit; I lifted up the pot and there were loads below it in the saucer underneath it. They don't have wings. They were so small I hardly noticed them until I looked closely. There were loads so I have binned that basil soil, but noticed a few more bugs in the plant tub next to it...

What are they, do they do any harm and how do I get rid of them?

Thank you in advance.

 

Hmm, I think they might be these:

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/tiny-white-jumping-bugs-t19821.html

Do any other bugs to this description bounce when provoked?

 

Yup, I bet they're springtails which are a very common infestation of house plants.

I had them in a pot of aspidistras which I kept for many years and never managed to eradicate them permanently. They were a bit unsightly but never seemed to do much harm.

There might well be other small bugs which take lively avoiding action when disturbed but, as they say, when you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras.