Mole crickets are unique insects, belonging to the family Gryllotalpidae, known for their subterranean existence and powerful, shovel-like forelegs adapted for digging. These burrowing insects spend most of their lives underground, and are often encountered as pests in lawns, turf, and gardens across many regions. As omnivores, their diet is complex and varies significantly depending on the species and what is available in the soil. Understanding their feeding habits reveals why they can be so destructive, as their consumption directly impacts the health of the plants above them.
Primary Consumption of Roots and Grasses
The diet of many mole cricket species is dominated by plant matter found beneath the surface, making them significant agricultural and turf pests. They primarily feed on the roots, shoots, and underground stems, or rhizomes, of various plants. This feeding activity targets the most vulnerable part of the plant structure, which is responsible for absorbing water and nutrients.
Turfgrasses, such as Bahiagrass and Bermudagrass, are highly susceptible to damage as the crickets consume the fine root hairs and underground runners. They also emerge at night to clip grass blades and plant stems at the soil surface. This consumption extends to many garden vegetables, including tubers (potatoes and sweet potatoes) and the roots of tomatoes, carrots, and various seedlings.
The damage caused by mole crickets is often a combination of feeding and tunneling behavior. As they burrow just below the soil surface, they create extensive, shallow tunnels, or galleries. This physical disruption severs roots, separates them from the soil, and creates air pockets that cause the soil to dry out quickly. Therefore, a plant may die from desiccation and uprooting even if only a fraction of its root mass was consumed.
Predatory and Detrital Feeding Habits
While their herbivorous habits are often the most noticeable, mole crickets are classified as opportunistic omnivores with a strong predatory side. They actively hunt and consume small, soft-bodied invertebrates that share their subterranean habitat, including insect larvae, fly pupae, and earthworms. These prey provide a rich source of protein that enhances their development speed.
The predatory component also extends to cannibalism, as mole crickets consume the eggs and smaller nymphs of their own species, particularly when food resources are scarce. The detrital aspect of their diet is comprised of decaying organic matter and fungi present in the soil. Mole crickets use this decaying material as a supplement.
Laboratory studies have shown that individuals develop faster and more robustly when animal tissue is included in their diet compared to a purely plant-based regimen. This highlights the importance of animal matter in the nutritional ecology of the species.
Key Dietary Differences Between Species
The specific composition of the mole cricket diet is not uniform across all species, and this variation is clear between the two most common pest types. The Tawny Mole Cricket (Neoscapteriscus vicinus) is overwhelmingly herbivorous, feeding primarily on plant roots and stems. Its extensive tunneling and feeding directly cause widespread turf and pasture destruction.
In contrast, the Southern Mole Cricket (Neoscapteriscus borellii) has a distinctly predatory diet. Studies indicate this species consumes small soil animals for the majority of its nutrition, with plant material making up a smaller proportion. While Southern Mole Crickets still tunnel and disturb roots, the primary destruction is due to their physical activity rather than extensive root consumption. This difference dictates which species causes severe root loss versus damage mainly through soil disturbance.