Mole cricket damage in southern lawns
Mole crickets are among the most economically significant turfgrass pests in the southeastern United States. They are also among the most unusual -- large, soil-burrowing insects with distinctive paddle-like forelegs adapted for digging that create visible tunnel networks at the soil surface. Most.
Mole crickets are among the most economically significant turfgrass pests in the southeastern United States. They are also among the most unusual — large, soil-burrowing insects with distinctive paddle-like forelegs adapted for digging that create visible tunnel networks at the soil surface. Most of the damage occurs underground, which makes both detection and treatment timing more complex than for surface-feeding insects.
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Species in the United States
Per UF IFAS Extension, three non-native mole cricket species are the primary pests in the Southeast. A fourth, the native mole cricket, is not a significant pest:
| Species | Primary range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tawny mole cricket (Neoscapteriscus vicinus) | Florida, Gulf Coast | Most damaging; omnivore |
| Southern mole cricket (Neoscapteriscus borellii) | Florida, Gulf Coast | Primarily insect predator; still tunnels |
| Short-winged mole cricket (Neoscapteriscus abbreviatus) | Florida (south) | Short-winged; does not fly |
Per Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, tawny mole crickets are established in coastal areas from Florida to Texas and are the primary species causing damage in bahia grass and bermuda grass lawns.