While the recent rains have certainly been a welcome sight, there is another sight at the golf course that is not so welcome. That is the sight of mole cricket damage to the turf. 
Mole crickets are the single biggest problem we face on the golf course during the summer months in Florida. There is no reason that I can think of where a mole cricket has a place on this planet other than apparently it makes a delicious snack called Camaru in Thailand I’ve read. Given the fact that I won’t be snacking on any of these guys in the near future, it is quite a battle to control them. They can and do cause significant damage to the turf.
In addition to the damage that the crickets produce, the armadillos, raccoons, and possums dig for these tasty treats as well. In June we applied a fertilizer that is coated with a long-lasting insecticide. Because of the expense, we only applied this product to the fairways, tees and greens. The areas that are left untreated are monitored weekly for infestations. It seems like we are treating for these insects constantly throughout the summer season. The crickets are most active during the full moon cycle. Mole crickets damage turf by feeding on the plant roots, stems and leaves and by tunneling through the soil.
