The mole cricket is considered endangered and, like the field cricket, rarely causes damage to plants. Instead, it is a beneficial insect as long as there is enough other food available.
Recognize mole crickets
Recognizing the Werre is not easy, because eggs as well as larvae and adults are in the ground. The adult insects can fly, but only spend a fraction of their life above the earth's layer. They can be recognized by the following features:
- dark brown to black color
- armored head
- Size up to seven centimeters
- Habitat often near water, under the lawn or in compost
- nocturnal
- strong front legs
Tip: Due to the similarity to the field cricket and the night activity, the differentiation and recognition can often be difficult, especially for laypeople. Even the chirping is only noticeable for a short time each year. However, this only applies if there are only a few copies available.
Damage to the mole cricket
Normally, this type of cricket is a beneficial insect that is unfortunately still endangered. In small numbers and with sufficient food, they do not cause any damage.
If the population gets out of hand and the preferred food is no longer available in sufficient quantities, however, they can the following problems occur:
- pecked root vegetables and tubers
- excavated seedlings
- Hills and dug up areas on flower beds
- Holes and discoloration in the lawn
- Damage to plant roots
Tip: The mole cricket is mainly found in natural gardens, but is usually not noticed here. If there is no natural corner with tall grass and compost, problems arise more quickly and they show up early.
Food of the mole crickets
As a rule, the crickets feed on animal feed. For example:
- Larvae
- Insect eggs
- Maggots
- Snail eggs
- worms
If possible, these are even created as reserves in the underground passages. If there is too little animal food, however, the crickets resort to plant roots and root vegetables. Holes in the tubers and inexplicably inexplicable growth are the consequences. This happens, for example, when the preferred food sources are overused by too many animals are not available or due to the control with pesticides insufficient amounts of the pests are available stand.
Spread of insects
The mole grill or Werre was named after their way of life. Although the insects can even swim, they mainly live in the passages that they dig themselves. here
they find their food, build supplies and lay eggs.These corridors and structures have the following features, among others:
- can reach lengths of up to 30 meters
- partially recognizable by holes or small mounds of earth
- Depth from five to 30 centimeters
From the outside or above, these structures of the crickets are often extremely inconspicuous and difficult to recognize for laypeople.
Combating the Werre
If the mole crickets are in large numbers, they can be a problem. Combating them, or at least driving them away, then makes sense. This can be achieved in a number of ways.
Attract predators
The natural predators of the mole crickets include:
- Ants
- Chicken
- Hedgehog
- Cats
- moles
- Shrews
Attracting or keeping these animals is also advisable for other reasons. They are generally beneficial for a balanced ratio of living things in the garden.
Designing areas close to nature helps to attract the animals. This includes, for example:
- Growing grass taller in one corner
- Build pile of wood
- To create a pond
Tip: The beneficial insects can also cause damage in the garden. With a stable balance of the fauna, however, the animals regulate each other.
Nematodes
The use of nematodes is recommended in the event of a very strong infestation with mole crickets. These use the adult insects as hosts, penetrate them and gradually kill them. Although the nematodes of the species Steinernema Carpocapsae are not effective against larvae and eggs, they can significantly decimate the population of the mole cricket.
If they cannot find any more food, they die and are therefore not a problem or a burden. If necessary, the application of the nematodes must be repeated if there are more larvae
hatch and grow up. The nematodes or roundworms are available both from specialist retailers and online.Create traps
If the infestation is low, it is possible to bring in human traps and then expose the crickets far away. As a result, the endangered animals are not further decimated, but neither do they cause any damage.
When setting the traps, proceed as follows:
- Prepare preserving jars or other vessels that are as deep as possible. These must have a smooth inside.
- Dig the containers deep enough into the ground that the upper edge is flush with the surface of the earth. The opening must of course remain free.
- It is often recommended to place a wooden stick vertically in the glass. In this way, the insects should get in but not out again. However, this is often not the case. Because a branch or a ledge can also be used as an escape route. In addition, the insects can fly and move easily upwards thanks to their strong and rough front legs.
Tip: Containers that are as narrow and deep as possible are particularly suitable. This means that climbing out or flying out is no longer so easy. They should be checked early in the morning and emptied if necessary. However, this method is usually not really effective.
Destroying buildings
When the Werre has settled in its own garden, it also creates breeding caves here. These can be found by using a staff and checking the holes and passages. Corridors that are almost vertical speak for eggs or larvae lying underneath.
These should be dug out with a spade and destroyed if the infestation is very severe. Alternatively, it can be relocated to another location. The compost heap, for example, is suitable.
Pesticides and home remedies
In addition to the recommended means and measures, there are also pesticides and home remedies. However, these pollute the environment and often other beneficial insects, so they should not be used.