Crickets are highly adaptable omnivores found in nearly every environment globally. They consume a wide variety of organic matter, including vegetation, and grass is a readily available food source in many habitats. Understanding their feeding preferences and which species are present is the first step toward managing them in a lawn or garden area.
The Cricket Diet: Omnivores of the Insect World
Crickets are classified as opportunistic omnivores, readily consuming both plant and animal matter depending on availability. Their natural diet is diverse, consisting of seeds, fungi, small insects, decaying organic material, and tender plant shoots. This scavenging behavior makes them valuable decomposers in many ecosystems.
While they consume grasses, crickets prefer softer or decaying plant material, such as dead leaves and grass clippings. Softer foods require less energy to process than tougher, living plant fibers. If conditions are dry or population density is high, they will readily turn to living grass to meet their nutritional and moisture needs.
Species That Consume Grass
The most common species impacting outdoor vegetation are the Field Cricket (Gryllus) and various species of Mole Crickets. Field Crickets are surface dwellers that nibble on grass blades, seeds, and seedlings in grassy areas. They are known to cause damage to young plants and crops, especially when other food is scarce.
Mole Crickets (Gryllotalpidae family) represent a more destructive threat because they live beneath the soil surface. These insects use powerful, shovel-like front legs to tunnel, which uproots and severely damages grass roots. Many Mole Cricket species also feed directly on the roots and underground stems of turfgrass, leading to widespread lawn death.
Identifying Damage and Basic Management
Cricket damage often appears as irregular patches of brown, thinning grass, resembling drought stress or a fungal disease. Mole Cricket activity specifically leaves the ground feeling spongy or lumpy, and small mounds of displaced soil may be visible. They damage the grass by severing the roots and stems near the crown of the plant.
To confirm a cricket presence, perform a simple soap-flush test by pouring a mixture of dish soap and water over a suspected area. If crickets are present, they will quickly surface to escape the irritant. Management focuses on modifying the habitat to make it less appealing to the insects.
Reducing thick layers of thatch and removing excessive lawn debris or wood piles eliminates their preferred shelter and breeding sites. Proper watering and mowing practices help strengthen the grass, making it more resilient to feeding damage. A well-maintained lawn with reduced moisture and clutter is less likely to support large cricket populations.