Imported fire ants and other ants are voracious predators in turfgrass and are noted to attack mole crickets when active above ground (Figure 19). But predation by imported fire ants on mole crickets in the soil is not well documented. As they burrow, mole crickets push up the soil, damaging grassroots and leading to dead patches. Mole crickets live underground, breaking through the passages and gnawing the roots of plants, spoiling seedlings and eating most types of crops. Crickets belong to the order Orthoptera, which holds insects with similar morphology, such as grasshoppers and locusts.The family Gryllidae comprise the “true crickets” that are set apart by their powerful hind legs, flattened and elongated exoskeletons, and antennae equivalent in length to their bodies. Merry Bugmas! What Do House Crickets Eat? Mole crickets that eat other insects develop much faster than those that consume just plant parts. They live and breed like all animals. These wasps from the Larra and Sphecid family are harmless to people and pets, but will lay their eggs directly on mole crickets, and when the eggs hatch the larvae feed on the mole crickets, eradicating them in the process. Mole crickets are omnivorous, feeding on a variety of larvae and earthworms as well as plant and grass roots and other vegetation. Tonight's episode: mole crickets. They eat both the roots and shoots of grass and will leave unsightly brown patches in your lawn and sometimes cause the earth to bulge up. It's Day 3 of Bugmas where I'm counting down the days to Christmas by eating bugs. The telltale signs of mole crickets are disturbed soil, irregular tunnels, and dying grass. Another natural method of controlling mole crickets in lawns is to invite garden friendly parasitic wasps into our yards. Mole crickets are most likely to damage bermuda grass and bahia grass. As mole crickets tunnel, they leave runways like moles do, as well as uprooted seedlings. Do mole crickets eat grass? Mole crickets will generally infest the same areas of turfgrass year after year. The lifespan of a cricket may be shortened by cold weather, certain pesticides, parasitic or fungal infection, or consumption by one of their many predators – including other crickets. Mole crickets are adept at digging and as they tunnel through the ground they sever grass roots. By ‘mapping’ infested areas, more accurate pest management can be performed, as only those areas of turf infested with mole crickets are treated, resulting in a reduction in the amount of insecticides applied. Five ounces of mole crickets have 28% of the daily protein you need and 74% of the calories, according to a 2008 study. One notable exception is a species of other crickets – mole crickets – that can live in the soil for up to two years. Indoors, they can feast on fabric, including clothing and carpet. 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