Mole Crickets Causing Trouble? Eagle Lawn Care Can Help

What Are Mole Crickets?

• Tawny Mole Cricket
• Southern Mole Cricket
• Short-Winged Mole Cricket
• Northern Mole Cricket

Originally from South America, these pests have spread throughout the southeastern U.S., thriving in Florida’s sandy soil and warm temperatures.

Mole crickets tunnel through the top layer of soil, damaging the roots of your grass. This causes the turf to loosen, brown, and eventually die. The signs are often mistaken for drought stress or fungus, but our trained technicians know exactly what to look for.

Common signs include:

• Raised soil or tunnels
• Brown, thinning grass
• Areas that feel soft or hollow when walked on
• Visible crickets at night or during heavy rain

They’re especially drawn to Bahia, Bermuda, and St. Augustine grasses, all common in Florida lawns.

Mole crickets lay their eggs underground—usually over 100 at a time. These eggs hatch in late spring or early summer, and the nymphs grow quickly, reaching adult size by fall. Because Florida stays warm most of the year, mole crickets remain active almost year-round.

In spring, adult mole crickets often take flight at night in search of mates and new places to lay eggs. Once they find a lawn to settle in, their damage begins underground long before most homeowners notice anything wrong.

While some animals and insects prey on mole crickets—such as birds, raccoons, armadillos, and predatory insects—these natural predators rarely control an infestation on their own. Because mole crickets live mostly underground, they’re hard to reach and reproduce too quickly for nature to keep up.