Mole Cricket Control

Most Effective Products

Dominion 2L Insecticide
Suspended Concentrate
As low as $37.24
Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules
Granular
As low as $32.99
Keith's Pro Tips

"It is crucial to time your application of Mole Cricket control products properly to ensure the best possible results. Larger mole crickets are tougher to get rid of because of their knack for avoiding chemical applications because of their ability to tunnel deeper and deeper which means they are farther and farther away from chemical products. The bigger the Mole Cricket is, the more capable they are to avoid a treatment application."

Mole Cricket Control: How To Get Rid of Mole Crickets

Mole Crickets are lawn pests that belong to the same family as grasshoppers and crickets. As their name implies, Mole Crickets like to create tunnels under the lawn soil and damage grass and other plants. If left untreated long enough, Mole Crickets can become a destructive threat to the lawn.

Mole Crickets are rarely seen because they live underground. In the Southeastern United States, Mole Crickets have been on the rise and have caused trouble on many lawns and gardens. They enjoy a variety of grasses such as bahiagrass, bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, centipedegrass, and zoysia. However, they cause most of their damage by burrowing through the soil. They tunnel through the top 1-2 inches of soil, loosening it and uprooting the grass plants, which then dry out.

If you are frustrated by Mole Crickets in your yard, our DIY Mole Cricket treatment guide will show you how to get rid of mole crickets for good. Use the recommended products in our cart and follow our step-by-step directions below and you'll be guaranteed to wipe out the Mole Cricket population quickly and affordably.

Identification

Mole Cricket

Before you can carry out a treatment program, you need to first know what Mole Crickets look like and properly identify whether they are the pest you are encountering. Careless identification can lead to using the wrong treatment methods, costing you time and money.

  • Mole Crickets are distinguished by their brownish-gray crustacean-like shiny bodies and wide front legs which are shaped in the form of spades. The shape of their legs are perfect for digging.
  • Adult mole crickets are about 1.25 to 1.5 inches in length with wings. Nymph mole crickets are similar-looking but are smaller and do not possess wings.
  • There are four main species of mole crickets found in the Southeastern United States--the tawny mole cricket, the southern mole cricket, the northern mole cricket and short-winged mole crickets.
  • No matter the type, most mole crickets have the same traits which are traits similar to that of a cricket, which is why they are named as such. However, they are not true crickets, they merely share relative traits like the chirping noise crickets are known for and their back legs.

Use the description and image above to identify mole crickets in your yard. If you are having trouble with identification, contact us and we will help properly identify the pest for you and offer recommendations of the top products to eliminate your problem.

Inspection

Mole Cricket Inspection

Once you have confirmed that you are dealing with a Mole Cricket problem, you can then proceed with an inspection. During this phase, you will pinpoint the areas where Mole Crickets are and observe the conducive conditions that are attracting them to your yard. This will help you in determining where to focus your insecticide applications.

When to Inspect

Late spring or early summer is a good time to check for mole crickets as these are the times when they are the most active. Mole crickets commonly develop only one generation a year. Adult Mole Crickets fly, mate and lay eggs in the spring. Egg-laying ordinarily happens in areas where there is adequate soil moisture to guarantee the eggs have the best chance of surviving. Once hatched, the mole cricket offspring start to seek out nourishment. This is done mainly in the early part of summer.

What to Look For

Check your lawn for any patches of damaged or dead grass. Since Mole Crickets live underground and like to make tunnels, you should keep an eye out for dead or browned grass. You can monitor for the presence of mole crickets by using a 2 percent soap solution that can be used as a flushing agent. Pour a gallon of this per square yard and observe the area closely for 3 to 5 minutes. If you have a sizable mole cricket infestation you will find eggs, nymphs and possibly even adult mole crickets.

Treatment

Make sure that you are wearing protective equipment when handling pesticides. The products we recommend are Dominion 2L and Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules because they have a broad spectrum label and have a residual effect of up to 90 days. They will also not do any harm to your plant life.

You will broadcast Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules on the application site and then follow-up with Dominion 2L to water in and activate the Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules, forming a lethal combination to the Mole Crickets.

Step 1 - Apply Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules To Lawn

Spreading granules

Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules are a granular insecticide labeled to treat many different lawn insects, including Mole Crickets. This product has a residual effect that can last up to 3 months and can be broadcast over your entire yard. You will want to perform the application between late spring and early fall when Mole Cricket eggs typically hatch.

Start by determining how much Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules you will need for treatment by calculating the square footage of the treatment area. To do this, measure and multiply the area length times the width (length x width = square footage).

The typical application rate is 2.3 to 4.6 pounds of Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules per 1,000 square feet of lawn.

To broadcast the Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules, load your spreader with the proper amount of Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules based on your square footage measured and broadcast the granules uniformly over the target area. You will need to perform to passthroughs to get even coverage. The first time, broadcast half the granules in parallel lines once across the target area and then make a second walkthrough at an even pace at a perpendicular angle.

Once the Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules has been evenly applied, water it into the turf with the help of Dominion 2L.

Step 2 - Apply Dominion 2L

Spraying Dominion 2L to treat cutworms

Dominion 2L is a systemic insecticide that will be absorbed into the grass. When Mole Crickets feast on grass blades, they will ingest the Dominion 2L and die out. Dominion 2L will not only activate the Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules, but it will also control Mole Crickets and other common lawn insects for up to 30 days.

To kill Mole Crickets, apply at a rate of 0.6 fl. oz. in a gallon of water to treat 1,000 sq. ft. We recommend using a 20-gallon hose-end sprayer for large lawn applications to ensure a sufficient amount of product covers the entire area. Remove the reservoir and then add the proper amount of Dominion 2L and the proper amount of water. Make sure the sprayers control valve and water pump are off and then attach the hose-end sprayer nozzle to the hose.

To ensure you have enough water to treat the entire area, use 2 or more gallons of water per 1,000 sq. ft. for the product to reach the roots. The Dominion 2L will mix with the water to make an even emulsion. Reattach the reservoir to the nozzle and turn the water to the hose on to begin spraying.

Evenly distribute the Dominion 2L mixture over your treatment area, keeping track of the product left in the reservoir. Apply on calm days when wind speeds are low to minimize drift.

Timing your application is crucial, it cannot be stressed enough to spray early but not too early. Treatment that is done too early may result in the residual effect of the insecticide wearing off before all the Mole Cricket eggs hatch. Spraying too late will result in larger Mole Crickets not being affected by the insecticide because of their deeper penetration into the soil.

It's important to note that Dominion 2L is toxic to bees so you should be careful and only apply when bees are not actively foraging.

Prevention

Continued applications for Mole Cricket Prevention

After eliminating the Mole Cricket problem, prevent their return by following the listed preventative proceedures listed below:

  • Monitor your lawn regularly and applying the Dominion 2L and Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules as a preventative barrier to keep mole crickets away.
  • If the soil is dry, steps should be taken to improve the moisture of the soil. Rake and dethatch your lawn regularly for aeration, fertilize on a proper schedule and mow your lawn at a taller height (3 to 4 inches) to promote root growth.
  • We also highly recommend watering your lawn 1 to 2 inches prior to the application of the insecticidal products, starting several days before you plan to treat, especially if there has been a drought. Additionally, overwatering your turf after treatment is done can lessen the effect of your chemical. A light watering is usually enough to water in the control products.

Key Takeaways

What are Mole Crickets?

  • Mole crickets are unique insects that thrive in their underground conditions. The complex and extensive tunnels they day and their aggressive conduct make mole crickets very destructive.

How to Kill and Control Mole Crickets

  • Our top recommendation for mole cricket control is a combination of Dominion 2L and Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules. These same products should also be used preventatively during peak times of mole cricket activity in the spring and summer.

Preventing Mole Cricket Reinfestation

  • Prevent Mole Cricket reinfestation by applying both Dominion 2L and Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules quarterly for continued protection. You should also perform regular mowing, dethatching, and fertilization to keep your lawn strong and healthy.
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