Mole Crickets on the Nicklaus Course

Mole Crickets are one of the more serious pest issues dealt with on The Nicklaus Course. Mole Crickets are sub-surface feeding insects that cause damage to the turfgrass by feeding on roots or creating tunnels in search of prey. Mole Crickets occur primarily in the sandy soils of the coastal southeast and they spend the winter deep in the soil. These insects will come to the surface to feed as temperatures begin to rise. Due to some recent spring weather, the Nicklaus course has been seeing its first signs of damage in 2013. During these warmer spring nights, they will fly around in search of food or a place to lay their eggs. The damaged caused can be a real issue to the playing surfaces of the golf course and that’s what makes keeping these insects under control such a high priority. The Nicklaus maintenance team utilizes a few different insecticides in their efforts to control these pests and these applications are made annually from spring to fall, and as needed. Unfortunately, mole crickets can be tough to control at times due to their mobility in the soil, however, spring applications have begun and we have been seeing good control of the insects.