What damage do mole crickets cause?
Mole crickets cause damage in two ways: through their burrowing activity and through their feeding activity.
- Root damage caused by tunnel construction: The insects dig extensive tunnel systems just below the surface of the soil. In doing so, they loosen the soil so much that the roots lose contact with the earth and dry out.
- Direct root feeding: Their diet includes not only grubs and snail eggs, but also tender plant roots and tubers.
- Destruction of seedlings: Especially in spring, entire seedbeds can be destroyed as the crickets simply cut through the young roots.
- Visual damage to the lawn: Similar to moles, they leave behind small mounds of earth and unsightly bare patches in the turf.
Which plants are affected by mole crickets?
Mole crickets are not particularly picky, but they prefer locations with loose, moist soil. The following are particularly frequently affected:
- Vegetable plants: Lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage and cucumbers suffer most from root damage.
- Tuberous and root vegetables: Potatoes and beetroot often show deep feeding holes.
- Young plants and seedlings: As these do not yet have a deep root system, they usually wilt within a few days of infestation.
- Lawn areas: Here, the damage is often concentrated on the grass roots close to the surface.
- Ornamental plants: Flower beds with loose humus soil are also popular targets.
An infestation can be easily recognised by finger-thick holes in the soil and rows of wilting plants that run through the bed as if pulled by a string.
Control mole crickets with nemastar®
Nematodes are natural
enemies of mole crickets. The nematode species Steinernema carpocapsae
,found in our product nemastar®, specializes on adult mole crickets, among others. The nematodes enter
their hosts through natural body orifices, kill them, and use them for
their own feeding and reproduction.
