Mole Cricket Control, Gainesville, Florida, 1978

Abstract

Experiments were conducted on 3 golf courses in the Gainesville area during 1978 to evaluate the efficacy of insecticide sprays, granules, and baits for control of mole crickets. The sites selected were severely damaged bermudagrass fairways. In each of the 3 experiments, 85 plots, measuring 10 × 10 ft separated by 3 ft borders, were treated. Each experiment was designed as a randomized complete block with 17 treatments replicated 5 times. The same pesticide formulations and rates were used in the three experiments. Insecticides were applied Aug 22 on one golf course and two golf courses were treated Aug 23. Baits and granules were applied by hand and sprays were applied with a 2 gal watering can. Plots treated with sprays or granules were irrigated with ca. 0.5 inch of water immediately following application. Plots treated with baits were irrigated with 0.5 inch water prior to treatment. For the first three days following application, dead or moribund mole crickets found on the soil surface were counted and removed from each plot. The data was analyzed by analysis of variance and means of separated by Duncan's Multiple Range Test.