Quick reference
- Pest class
- insect
- Host breadth
- specialist
- Seasonal pattern
- Adults peak spring; nymphs damage turf May-October
- Treatment hint
- Beneficial nematodes (Steinernema scapterisci) — long-term biological control. Bait formulations (indoxacarb, fipronil) for chemical control. Apply at dusk when crickets surface.
- Source
- uf_ifas_v1
ID features
Large (3-5cm) brown crickets with shovel-like front legs adapted for digging; tunnels visible at soil surface in damp turf.
Damage pattern
Loose disturbed soil in turf; dead/yellow patches; spongy feel underfoot from tunnels. Often misdiagnosed as grub damage.
Hosts
No hosts wired up yet.