Then it suddenly increased to 43-75 winged adults per trap after one major rainfall in November 1997. In Manatee county, weekly trapped nymphs in a pasture heavily destroyed were as high as 84 per trap in July and August 1997. We counted nearly 500 nymphs in one trap in July 1997 after a 3-inch rainfall. The weekly counts declined sharply to 0-4 per trap between September 1997 and March 1998. From April to May 1998 we have observed 8 mole crickets per trap, half of which are newly hatched nymphs.
Soil moisture controls the movement and activity of mole crickets on bahiagrass pasture.
Migration of crickets from flooded pasture to sandy ridges as was observed in Polk county indicates that mole crickets are fighters in inclement weather. Golf courses and home lawns which are normally well drained could provide additional shelter in wet weather. We are already experiencing a resurgence of newly hatched nymphs on most central Florida bahiagrass pastures since the rains subsided. Application of bait will be more cost-effective if confined to known hot spots. Back to the Range Cattle Research and Education Center Home Page Back to the Publications Page Back to the Ona Reports Page.