How to Control Mole Crickets in the Lawn

Is it mole crickets? Recognizing the damage

The signature is uplifted soil, not chewed leaves. Clemson Cooperative Extension notes that in addition to their destructive feeding, these insects tunnel through the soil just beneath the lawn, and that the pest feeds almost exclusively on turfgrass roots and shoots.

UF/IFAS Extension describes the result as mole crickets tunneling through the soil, often close to the surface, severing grass roots and causing the earth to bulge upwards, and notes that while any turfgrass can be damaged, they particularly like bahiagrass and bermudagrass.

Clemson also describes a small mound of soil with a visible opening that can appear in the lawn, and distinguishes mole cricket mounds (soil pushed up from underneath with a hole in the middle) from the round, pellet-like granules of earthworm mounds.

Confirm with a soap flush

A soap flush drives the crickets to the surface so you can see whether you have them and roughly how many. Clemson Cooperative Extension's method is to mix 1 to 2 fluid ounces of liquid dish soap in a gallon of water, then pour this mixture onto a 2 square foot area; the crickets will come to the soil surface rather quickly if present.

UF/IFAS gives a similar test and a threshold: mix 1.5 fluid ounces of liquid dishwashing soap into 2 gallons of water and pour it over 4 square feet of turf, and if two to four mole crickets appear within about three minutes, corrective action is justified.

1. 1Mix a soapy flush — Combine dish soap and water per Clemson (1-2 oz per gallon over 2 sq ft) or UF/IFAS (1.5 oz per 2 gallons over 4 sq ft) and pour it evenly over a suspect area.
2. 2Count what surfaces — Watch for a few minutes; crickets surface within about three minutes if present. Per UF/IFAS, two to four crickets in that window justifies action.
3. 3Map the active spots — Flush several areas to find where the population is concentrated so any treatment is targeted rather than lawn-wide.

Treat the nymphs, and use cultural and biological help

The most important control decision is when, not what. Clemson Cooperative Extension states the best time to treat for mole crickets is during June and July because turfgrass damage is minor and the mole crickets are still immature and small; small, shallow nymphs are far easier to control than large adults.

The life cycle sets that window. UF/IFAS notes mole crickets have one generation per year, with eggs typically laid in April and May, and that the most damage occurs in spring and fall when the crickets are mostly adults, which is exactly why treating the young summer nymphs is more effective than chasing the big ones.

Lean on non-chemical tools where you can. UF/IFAS highlights biological control agents, including the Larra bicolor wasp and the parasitic nematode Steinernema scapterisci, which can provide longer-term suppression. If an insecticide is warranted, Clemson lists residential options in the neonicotinoid, organophosphate, and synthetic pyrethroid classes and baits containing carbaryl or indoxacarb; follow your local Extension's product and rate guidance rather than guessing.

⚠ Spraying large spring adults is the classic wasted effort; they are deep, mobile, and hard to hit. Confirm activity with a soap flush, then concentrate control on the small nymphs in early-to-mid summer. Watering the area before a soil-applied treatment helps move it down to where the crickets are.

Sources

Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.

• Clemson Cooperative Extension (HGIC) — Mole Cricket Management in Turfgrass — Verifies mole crickets tunnel through the soil just beneath the lawn and feed almost exclusively on turfgrass roots and shoots; that a small mound of soil with a visible opening appears and differs from earthworm mounds; that the soap-flush detection is 1 to 2 fluid ounces of liquid dish soap per gallon of water poured over a 2 square foot area, bringing crickets to the surface quickly; that the immature stage occurs mid-May through July and the best time to treat is June and July while crickets are still immature and small; and that residential insecticide options include neonicotinoid, organophosphate, and synthetic pyrethroid classes and baits with carbaryl or indoxacarb.
• UF/IFAS Extension — Mole Crickets — Verifies mole crickets tunnel close to the soil surface, severing grass roots and causing the earth to bulge upwards, and particularly like bahiagrass and bermudagrass; that a soap flush of 1.5 fluid ounces of dishwashing soap in 2 gallons of water over 4 square feet brings crickets up in under three minutes, with two to four in that window justifying corrective action; that they have one generation per year with eggs laid in April and May and cause most damage in spring and fall when mostly adults; and that biological controls include the Larra bicolor wasp and the parasitic nematode Steinernema scapterisci.

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