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Mole Crickets (Neoscapteriscus species)
Identification guide for South Florida homeowners.
What Are Mole Crickets?
Mole crickets are burrowing insects that spend most of their lives underground. The invasive tawny and southern mole crickets damage Florida lawns by tunneling through the soil, which loosens and dries out roots, and in the case of tawny mole crickets, by feeding on roots and grass. They're especially common in sandy soils like those found across South Florida.
How to Identify Them
They look like a cross between a cricket and a mole, with big shovel-like front legs and velvety bodies. You might see them crawling on driveways or attracted to porch lights during flights.
Simple check: Use a soap flush in damaged areas; mole crickets will come to the surface.
Similar problems:
- White grubs: C-shaped larvae that feed on roots. See white grubs.
- Chinch bugs: yellowing patches in St. Augustinegrass. See chinch bugs.
Life Cycle and Habits
Adults fly and mate in spring, then females lay eggs in underground chambers. Nymphs hatch and feed through summer, causing the most damage as they grow. Adults overwinter in the soil.
Signs of Mole Crickets
- Raised tunnels and spongy turf
- Thinning or dying grass in irregular patches
- Birds, raccoons or armadillos digging in the lawn
- Mole crickets attracted to lights in spring
Is it dangerous?
- Property damage
Tunneling and root feeding that loosen turf and kill grass.
Prevention Tips
- Monitor with soap flushes in spring and early summer.
- Maintain healthy turf with proper watering and mowing.
- Ask a licensed lawn provider or your Extension office about timing if you find nymphs.
About Lawn and Plant Treatment
Pro-Spray's service covers pests in and around your home, not lawn or plant treatment. For turf or plant damage, contact a licensed lawn and ornamental provider or your UF/IFAS county Extension office, which can help confirm the cause and recommend options for your yard.
Tawny vs. Southern Mole Crickets
Two main pest species cause problems in Florida lawns. Tawny mole crickets feed heavily on grass roots and shoots and are considered the more destructive in turf. Southern mole crickets are mostly predators of other soil insects, but their tunneling still damages roots and dries out soil. Both are invasive species that arrived in the Southeast long ago. They look similar to an untrained eye, and both are handled in a similar way in home lawns.
Mole Crickets and Sandy Soil
South Florida's sandy soils make it easy for mole crickets to tunnel, and lawns on sand dry out quickly once roots are disturbed. Bahiagrass and bermudagrass lawns are especially vulnerable, though St. Augustinegrass and zoysiagrass can also be affected. Damage is often worst in late summer, after nymphs have been feeding and tunneling for months.
The Soap Flush Test
Mix about two tablespoons of liquid dish soap in two gallons of water and pour it slowly over a square of lawn at the edge of a damaged area. Within a few minutes, mole crickets will crawl to the surface. Small nymphs in late spring or early summer are a sign the season's generation is under way, which is useful information to share with a lawn care provider or the Extension office.
Wildlife Digging
Raccoons, armadillos and birds love mole crickets. If animals are tearing up your lawn at night, mole crickets or grubs may be the reason. Once the insect problem is resolved, the digging usually slows down.
Mole Crickets Indoors?
During spring flights, adult mole crickets are drawn to lights and sometimes end up in garages, on lanais, in pool areas or just inside doors. A stray one indoors isn't a lawn problem, it's a household pest problem. If crickets or other bugs keep getting into your home, Pro-Spray can help with entry points and perimeter service. Call or Text 833-845-9284.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my lawn spongy?
Why are animals digging in my yard?
When are young mole crickets easiest to find?
Do mole crickets bite?
Reviewed October 2026 by Pro-Spray's family-run team
Pests don't wait.
Protect your home today.
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