Field Sampling and Population Estimation of the Tawny Mole Cricket (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae)

The most common method of sampling mole crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae: Scapteriscus spp.), soap flushing, was calibrated by repeated sampling of a known and confined population. Regression analysis of the resulting data produced an equation predicting efficiency of flush sampling as a function of soil moisture. This equation predicts 50% efficiency at 13.3% soil moisture, and 90% efficiency at 19.5% soil moisture. The accuracy of the prediction equation was tested by sampling confined populations and produced population estimates that were within 25% of the true population.