How To Recognize and Treat Mole Crickets in Your Lawn
Skip Orth, owner of Father and Son Pest and Lawn Solutions, says mole crickets are one of the most destructive lawn pests we have along the Emerald Coast. “Mole crickets are insects that burrow just under the surface of the soil and feed on grass roots. They look like a cricket but have powerful front legs that are well adapted for borrowing through soil. They have a one-year life cycle that begins in early spring. By late summer and fall, they are large, fully mature and able to do considerable damage to a lawn in a relatively short amount of time.”
Why Are Mole Crickets So Destructive?
According to Skip, mole crickets are so destructive for several reasons. First, since they spend most of their time underground, you may not notice their activity in the lawn until they have caused extensive damage. Skip says it’s common for weeds to come in and take over the areas where the grass has declined, so unless you’re paying close attention, it’s hard to recognize the grass is dying because the lawn still looks green. Many people only realize the damage done by mole crickets when the weeds die back in the winter, and most of the grass is gone.
Another reason mole crickets are so destructive is their size. They are large insects and therefore have a large appetite. Their size also contributes to the destruction of the grass from their burrowing activity. They uproot grass as they borrow through the soil exposing grass roots causing them to dry out.
Skip points out another reason mole crickets are so destructive is they are not native to North America and have no natural predators, so they populate unchecked unless treated.
Although they spend most of their time underground, they also have the ability fly, moving from place to place. Therefore, getting rid of them once doesn’t mean they won’t return and start a new infestation.
What Are The Signs of Mole Cricket Damage?
Some of the common signs of mole cricket activity include soft, spongy soil with dead grass lying on top without any roots attached. Another sign of mole cricket activity is tunnels or trails along the surface of the soil about the size of your finger.
Skip says one of the best ways to check for the presence of mole crickets in a specific area is to mix a quarter cup of dish soap in 5 gallons of water and drench an area of a few square feet. If there are any mole crickets in that area, they will immediately come to the surface within about a minute.
How to Treat Mole Crickets
If you have discovered mole crickets in your lawn, Skip recommends using an insecticide labeled for lawns with the active ingredient Bifenthrin. “The challenge with treating mole crickets is getting enough product down into the soil to kill them. The best way to do that is to make the application in the late afternoon. Mole crickets are nocturnal feeders and will be closest to the surface at night.
Thoroughly water the area to be treated, apply the product and then thoroughly water again immediately after the treatment. Watering before and after treatment is the best way to make sure it gets down into the soil. Doing this in the late afternoon will ensure the treatment is in the root zone of the soil when the mole crickets come near the surface to feed.”
Skip says that mole crickets can be effectively controlled by catching an infestation early, treating the lawn properly and following up to make sure they do not return.
If you are having problems keeping your lawn healthy, Father and Son Pest and Lawn Solutions offers free lawn consultations. They can be reached at 850-939-968 or at fatherandsonlandscape.com