Cute, aren't they? - Image courtesy of gb_packards

First off, mole crickets are omnivores, feeding on worms, larvae, worms, and grass roots. Believe it or not, mole crickets are very common; however, being nocturnal, they spend most of the day underground in elaborate tunnels, generally only surfacing at night. They thrive on every continent except Antarctica, and they are even considered as tasty treats in areas of East Asia. Not that I expect you to be scouring your yard for a supplemental food source…But they can be eaten.

Now that we know a bit about the elusive mole cricket, let’s discuss how they can put a world of hurt on your yard. Their nightly feeding can cause extensive damage to your lawn, as they eat away at roots and stem tissue. Their tunneling disrupts the root beds and causes unsightly blemishes in your lawn.

How do we get rid of them?
There are a couple of methods that can be used to thin out a mole cricket infestation:

• Biological control: Mole crickets have a few natural enemies, including
  • birds
  • armadillos
  • raccoons
  • rats
  • amphibians/toads

  Parasitic wasps have been imported from South America to areas such as Florida, where the dry soil is a safe haven for mole crickets; in turn, these wasps can thin out a population. Still, biological measures might act as good deterrent, but they will be hard-pressed to eradicate a large mole cricket infestation.

• Insecticides: I know, more chemicals. But, when you have the cricket flu, you need to turn to something with enough power to remove your mole crickets before your lawn is destroyed. Some of the more reliable products include Acephate Pro 75 and Orthene Turf, Tree & Ornamental Spray, among others. However, please note that many of these products must be employed by a professional, and they can be harmful to pests and other critters.
• Natural remedies: There is an alternative to insecticides, although it does involve a bit of manual labor. Mix in a small amount of non-detergent soap into a large bucket (think: small amount, as we don’t want to damage the yard); then, pour the soapy water into one of the burrows or tunnels in your yard. after a few minutes, the mole crickets should surface (they don’t like the soap; plus, they find it hard to breathe with a tunnel filled with soapy water!); you can then catch and dispatch them…Or even save them for a later snack! This can be time consuming, but an afternoon spent mole cricket hunting can really thin out the population in your yard. Follow this up with a new, well-stocked bird feeder in order to attract more birds to your yard…Who in turn will hopefully feed on the mole crickets to keep the population under control. Finally, make sure your yard is receiving plenty of water.

Please share any methods that you use to control mole crickets in your home or yard.

Image courtesy of chapmankj75.

• Install a screen over your chimney and even dryer vent. This will keep certain pests from wandering into your abode.
• Keep firewood away from your home. If you must store it, aim for a dry location at least 25 feet from your home. That way, critters won’t try to take up shop in the comfort of your front yard.
• As food sources dwindle, rodents and other pests will try their luck and reaching some of your food stores. To combat this, keep food items, as well as other scented goods, stored in sealed bins or containers.
• Don’t stockpile garbage! Keep your garbage in lidded bins, and don’t miss your trash or burn day.
• Double-check your gutters and spouts to ensure that pooled water is not collecting close to your home. If so, realign or replace leaking or non-functional gutters.

These tips should help to keep you critter-free in the winter time, ensuring that unwelcome house guests are not enjoying the comforts of your home.

To prevent similar problems with your pets, try adhering to the following pet principles:

• Much like children, be careful when leaving your household pets unattended in the outdoors. Keep tabs on their location, and only let them outside if you are in the immediate area, or the pets will be in a secure area (fenced-in back yard, confined run area, and so forth).
• Make sure to clean up any garbage and food-based trash in the immediate vicinity of your yard. Trash can attract wild animals, such as raccoons, possums, and even wild or unleashed dogs.
• Make sure your pets have all of the required shots and immunizations, and that the vaccinations are up to date. This can go a long ways towards the prevention of disease spreading, such as rabies.

Please share any methods that have assisted you in keeping your pets safe in the outdoors, as well as ways to keep wild critters from infringing on your pet’s enjoyment of the great outdoors.

• Keep trash cleaned up, and do not put trash bags out the night before your trash pickup. As raccoons do a lot of foraging at night, that gives them plenty of time to rip open your trash bags and eat their fill…Thus scattering your garbage for miles. If you must put trash out early, make sure that you place it in a sturdy, covered container.
• If you have fruit trees in your yard, make sure that you pick up any rotting fruit from the ground. The fragrant fruit is a strong lure for raccoons. The same can be said for pet food and bird feeders; make sure that you keep it picked up, or the raccoons will be paying you a visit.
• Putting up a fence will help to keep them from foraging in your yard or garden. A few sstrands of electric fence: one about 6 inches up from the ground, and the other about a foot up, will keep them from stopping.
• It is a known fact that raccoons do not like the sound of human voices. If you can leave a radio outside and near your garden, and you dial it on talk radio, there is a good chance that the raccoons will be too wary to stop. Change stations up a bit to ensure that you have different voices. This method is cheap, easy to implement, and will keep the raccoons out…Not to mention that it will give you something to listen to when you tend to your garden!
• Trapping raccoons is another way to get rid of the critters. Pick up a large trap (from your hardware/pest control store, or borrow one from your local conservation department) and bait it with canned tuna or cat food. Check the trap often; if you catch one, make sure to take it at least 5 miles away. Remember: they bite (and can be very mean when cornered), so be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves when you handle the trap.


A good-sized raccoon trap can be used to effectively trap and relocate the critter.

Good luck with your raccoon control. They truly are unique, interesting creatures. Just make sure to enjoy them from the convenience of your neighbor’s yard!