Millions of cannibalistic Mormon crickets are wreaking havoc, creating road hazards and damaging agriculture in Oregon, Nevada and Idaho.
So many of these crickets have appeared all at once that officials are advising households to plug openings around doors and windows. Other suggestions include removing food and water sources, regularly disposing of trash, and checking dark areas in homes where the insects may be concealed.
The Idaho State Department of Agriculture has even declared an outbreak in southwestern Twin Falls County. Deputy Director Lloyd Knight informed KMVT News that the department has received 39 requests from 10 counties statewide and has distributed just under 60,000 pounds of carbaryl bait to help control the Mormon crickets.
In Oregon, locals and federal government officials have reported swarms of Mormon crickets on both public and private property.
“Mormon crickets are way different than grasshopper infestations. Grasshoppers eat anything green. Mormon crickets like the rabbit brush, the cheat grass, dry feed,” Lake County Commissioner Mark Albertson told Capital Press.
Swarms of Mormon crickets can create a significant road hazard
The insects can pose a road hazard if their populations become too large, creating something similar to a layer of slush on a highway, according to Park. Mormon crickets travel on the ground while feeding. If needed, officials may attempt to prevent crickets from crossing roads by using bait.
“The crickets are causing nuisance conditions where they are creating road hazards due to large densities over the road and associated odor from crickets that have been run over [by motor vehicles],” Bureau of Land Management spokesman Joey Nikirk said in a statement.
One of the worst Mormon cricket infestations in decades occurred in Oregon in 2021. According to state agriculture officials, outbreaks occurred on more than 10 million acres of rangeland in 18 counties. Farmers suffered because the insects destroyed fields of grass and grain used to feed cattle.
As these swarms continue to spread, Nevada officials are asking locals to report sightings. In northern Nevada, Mormon crickets are a persistent issue, especially in Elko County and the Jarbidge area, where previous outbreaks have covered roads, made driving hazardous, and left behind a strong odor.