- Mole cricket damage is greater near the field borders where they relocate after tillage operations. Susceptible growth stages are from seedling to tillering.
- At night, adults and nymphs feed on sown seeds and roots of rice plants either in the seedbed or of young seedlings, causing bare patches in the field. In older plants, tillers near the soil surface may be chewed on, but the damage can generally be tolerated. Young and newly planted seedlings are most commonly attacked in the early part of the season before fields are flooded.
The insect is light brown; the wings are folded and do not cover the full length of the abdomen. The forelegs are broad, curved, with strong teeth-like structures for digging soil. The hind legs, eyes, and antennae are small and almost invisible. The adult is 25-35 millimeters (mm) long.
Management options:
Cultural
- Bund-shaving and plastering with fresh wet soil kills their eggs.
- Levelling fields provides better water control, which can limit mole cricket invasions.
- Collecting nymphs and adults during land preparation, bund repairs, and seedling pulling in nursery beds reduce their population.
- Maintaining standing water in the field prevents their damage.
- After rains, they are attracted to light sources during nighttime. They can then be collected, destroyed, and even eaten by people.
- Varieties with long and dense fibrous root systems like many of the modern varieties tolerate cricket damage better.
Biological
- They eat each other when they are together. Hence, they regulate their own numbers.
- Nymphs and adults have many natural enemies such as big wasps and nematodes.
Chemical
- Use insecticides as a last resort. They should serve as a corrective measure rather than a preventive one.
