MUSTANG, Okla. – Many Oklahomans have noticed mysterious mini dirt piles around the metro.
Experts say those mini mounds of dirt belong to crickets.
However, residents do not have to worry about these insects damaging their property.
You don’t have to look far to spot the little dirt piles.
“I just thought they were moles,” said Mustang resident Beth Schofield.
Experts tell NewsChannel 4 that short-tailed crickets are inhabiting these mounds.
“The best analogy is that they’re the teenagers, got their own apartment, moved out of mom and dad’s house,” said Ray Ridlen, Oklahoma State University Extension.
The good news is short-tailed crickets don’t invade your home or feed on your yard, but they do create an aesthetics problem.
“Every time they molt, they have to make their apartment a little bit bigger. Then after it rains they have to excavate their apartment out,” said Ridlen.
Experts say the crickets hide in the dirt piles during the day and come out at night.
People can sweep the dirt mounds away or use grub control products.
The short-tailed cricket season is expected to last until the beginning of November.
