What is this project?

This is a demonstration project to show Florida ranchers how they may use non-chemical methods to control pest mole crickets in their pastures. It is funded for the calendar year 2010.

Pest mole crickets are large soil-dwelling insects that cause more than $100 million yearly in damage to pastures in Florida. The good news is that pest mole crickets have new natural enemies in Florida: beneficial wasps and beneficial nematodes. You can attract these beneficial wasps to your pastures by adding certain host plants. You can buy and apply the beneficial nematodes. Or, you can do both. But there is no real point in doing either unless your pasture is being badly damaged by mole crickets. So, first we deal with how to detect a mole cricket problem.

How do you detect a mole cricket problem?

Who are the participants?

Biological Controls

• Larra bicolor —the beneficial wasp: How to use it
• Steinernema scapterisci — the beneficial nematode: How to use it

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