Best Time to Control Mole Crickets, If Needed

Best Time to Control Mole Crickets, If Needed

Adult and nymphs of mole crickets. Photo: Julie McConnell, UF/IFAS

The best time to treat for mole crickets is during June through July. But don’t treat at all if mole crickets have not been positively found and identified in the affected lawn areas.

Don’t worry about the adults that are seen flying around lights in the evenings or about the mole crickets found dead in swimming pools this time of year. They are in a mating phase and are doing very little to no damage to lawns during late winter and spring.

We can take advantage of the fact that there’s only one generation per year in North Florida. The eggs will have all hatched by mid to late June. At that time, you’re dealing with young mole crickets that can’t fly and that are much more susceptible to the insecticides designed to kill them. Mole crickets spend winter as adults in the soil. In late February and March, adults emerge and begin mating. Shortly after mating, males die and females fly to suitable areas for egg laying. Mated females deposit eggs in tunnels. After depositing her eggs the female dies. Attempting to control adult mole crickets during this mating period a waste of time, money and product. Plus, adult mole crickets are difficult to control and can easily fly out of treated areas.

You can easily determine if mole crickets are the cause for your lawn problem by flushing them out with a soap and water mixture.

Mix 1½ ounces of a lemon scented liquid dish-washing soap in two gallons of water in a sprinkling can or bucket. Pour the soapy water over an area approximately four square feet and count the number of mole crickets that emerge. It only takes several minutes for mole crickets to crawl to the surface after the soap treatment if they are present. Repeat the process around the yard where you suspect mole cricket problems. If you flush an average of two to four crickets are flushed out per site, control may be needed.

There are a number of insecticides on the market to control mole crickets. But before using any product, first identify the problem as mole cricket damage by using the soap flush technique. Then choose a lawn insecticide that lists mole crickets on its label. And finally read the label carefully for use directions, application techniques, irrigation requirements and precautions.

For more information on mole crickets, including recommended insecticides and other non-chemical control options, contact the UF/IFAS Extension Office in your County or access the following links.

Insect Pest Management on Turfgrass

Shortwinged Molecricket 

Mole Cricket IPM Guide for Florida 

Protecting Our Pollinators in the Landscape

Protecting Our Pollinators in the Landscape

European honey bee. Photo credit: UF/IFAS.

Bees, butterflies and other insects play important roles as pollinators in our environment. Over 50 major crops in the United States and at least 13 crops in Florida depend on honey bees. Many native plants in natural areas also depend on insect pollinators for reproduction. In Florida, over 300 bee species play a role in pollination!

Many factors affect the health of our pollinators. One of those factors we can easily control in our own landscapes is exposures to pesticides. How are bees and other pollinators exposed to pesticides? Here are some of the major routes:

  • Drift of pesticides sprayed in breezy/windy conditions
  • The erosion of contaminated topsoil blowing in the wind
  • Direct feeding on pollen and nectar of treated plants
  • Contact with pesticides that have blown onto plant surfaces
  • Contact with water transpired by leaves of treated plants
  • Pesticides that move down through the soil to affect ground dwelling bees and other insects

Did you know that bees become statically charged when they fly causing particles in the air to attract to them?

What are some ways that we can reduce the risk of exposure to pollinators in our landscapes?

  1. Use integrated pest management principles to reduce the incidence of pests and their impacts.
  2. Avoid treating areas containing flowering weeds/plants with insecticides. If you must treat your lawn with an insecticide, and it contains flowering weeds, mow the lawn and remove the flowers just before applying the insecticide.
  3. If you must apply a systemic insecticide to your lawn, leave a buffer strip of several feet between the lawn and the border of landscape beds with flowering plants. This will prevent the flowering plants from up taking the systemic product.
  4. Postpone any insecticide treatment until after all blooms have fallen from flowering ornamentals. Never apply an insecticide to blooms or flowering plants.
  5. Avoid the use of neonicotinoids as this class of insecticides can be more toxic to bees than other classes of insecticides. There are many effective alternatives.

Bee friendly to our pollinators!

 

For more information:

Minimizing Honey Bee Exposure to Pesticides

Creating and Maintaining Healthy Pollinator Habitat – Xerces Society