The cutters

Crickets, also called mole crickets, are underground insects that can cause damage to the roots of plants and lawns. Adults are about 2-3 cm long and have developed front legs for digging into the ground. Cutters are active at night and feed on underground roots, tubers and bulbs.

The females lay their eggs in the ground in the spring and the larvae hatch in the summer. Larvae are legless grubs that feed on plant roots and can cause significant damage to crops and lawns. The larvae overwinter in the soil and pupate in the spring before emerging as adults in the summer.

Fighting against crownworms can include cultural methods such as regular mowing of the lawn and deep watering to encourage root growth. Pheromone traps can also be used to capture adult males and reduce the population. Insecticides can be effective in killing larvae in the soil, but should be used with care as they can also kill other beneficial insects in the soil. Steinernema feltiae nematodes can also be used to control tickworms biologically. The nematodes infect the larvae and kill them within days, reducing the larval populations in the soil. Nematodes should be applied in the early morning or late evening when temperatures are cool and sunlight is low to prevent breakdown. It is also important to ensure that the soil is sufficiently moist before applying the nematodes.