How To Identify Mole Cricket Mounds: A Clear Guide For Homeowners

Have you walked across your lawn lately and felt like you are stepping on an underground maze? One day, everything looks fine; the next, there are raised tunnels, small volcano-shaped mounds, and patchy, dead grass that seems to appear overnight.

You might be thinking “mole problem”… but what if it is actually mole crickets? These strange, cricket-like insects are surprisingly destructive underground engineers.

In this friendly, straightforward guide, we will walk you through exactly how to spot mole cricket mounds and tunnels, tell them apart from moles and other diggers, and understand what is really happening beneath your lawn.

 

What Are Mole Crickets?

Mole crickets (family Gryllotalpidae) are not true crickets or moles; they are a unique insect built like a digging machine. They have:

• Powerful, shovel-shaped front legs perfect for tunneling
• A cylindrical, armored body
• Small eyes and short antennae
• Short wings (some species fly short distances)

They spend almost their entire life underground, feeding on grass roots, earthworms, and other soil insects.

 

Read also: How to Get Rid of Mole Cricket | DIY Mole Cricket Control

 

How to Recognize Mole Cricket Mounds and Tunnels

Mole cricket damage looks very different from mole or gopher damage. Here are the key signs to look for:

Feature	Mole Cricket	Mole	Gopher
Mound shape	Small volcano or chimney, often with a visible opening	Large volcano, no visible opening	Fan or crescent with a plugged hole
Tunnels	Surface tunnels feel spongy; grass dies above them	Raised ridges across the lawn	No surface ridges, deep tunnels
Damage pattern	Dead patches of grass in irregular shapes	Meandering raised lines	Clipped plants, large mounds
Time of activity	Mostly spring & fall, especially after rain	Year-round	Year-round

The classic “tell” for mole crickets: spongy, spongy, spongy. When you step on the tunnel, it feels like walking on a soft, collapsing carpet, because the tunnel is very shallow (often just 1 to 2 inches below the surface).

 

Where and When are Mole Crickets Most Active?

Mole crickets are most common in the following places:

• Warm, moist climates (Southeastern U.S., Gulf Coast, parts of California)
• Lawns with heavy thatch or poor drainage
• Areas with sandy or loose soil

Peak activity occurs in spring (April to June) and fall (September to November), especially after heavy rain when the soil is soft and easy to dig.

 

Simple Tests You Can Do Right Now

Here are two quick ways to confirm mole crickets:

1. The Sponge Test: Walk across suspected areas. If it feels spongy and collapses underfoot, it is likely mole crickets.
2. The Soap Flush: Mix 1 to 2 oz of dish soap in 2 gallons of water and pour slowly over 1 square yard of damaged grass. Mole crickets (and earthworms) will surface within 2 to 3 minutes if present.

 

Why It Matters: The Real Damage They Cause

Unlike moles (which eat grubs), mole crickets are plant-eaters. They chew grass roots, causing:

• Large, irregular dead patches
• Grass that pulls up easily (roots gone)
• Spongy, collapsing lawn

A single female can lay 100 to 300 eggs, and one generation can destroy hundreds of square feet of turf.

 

Read also: What Is The Difference Between Moles And Voles? A Guide To Identification & Control

 

Conclusion

Identifying mole cricket mounds is simpler than most people think: look for small volcano-shaped chimneys, spongy surface tunnels, and irregular dead patches, especially in warm, moist climates.

Once you know it is mole crickets (and not moles or gophers), you are already halfway to solving the problem.

The next time you step on a suspicious spot and feel that telltale spongy collapse, you will smile to yourself; you have just cracked the case. And that small moment of observation can save your lawn from months of damage.

What about you? Have you already spotted those classic mole cricket signs in your yard? Which test are you planning to try first, the sponge walk or the soap flush? I would love to hear how it goes and whether you have finally solved the mystery of those strange tunnels.

About The Author