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Mole Crickets (Gryllotalpidae)
Mole crickets are burrowing insects that tunnel through the upper layers of turfgrass soil, severing roots and disrupting the root zone in a way that causes spongy, dying patches of lawn, particularly in sandy soils of the southeastern U.S. Both the tunneling behavior and direct feeding on grass roots and other soil organisms cause damage. Tawny mole crickets are the most destructive species, with damage most visible in spring and fall. Targeted insecticide applications timed to coincide with peak nymphal activity, combined with beneficial nematodes, provide effective suppression.