First Mormon crickets of the season show up in Washington County

Some of the first Mormon crickets to hatch this year were recently spotted by a homeowner around upper Monroe Creek Road in Washington County.

 The wet, cool spring weather has kept the insects in check until now. The crickets that have appeared are small and the numbers are not big yet, said Woody Woodcock, who lives near Upper Monroe Creek. 

 For Woodcock, this would be the fourth year the insects have showed up at his property. He recently met with county commissioners to talk about how bad the insects might get this summer. 

 “There were so many last year that I can’t imagine that we won’t get blasted again,” he said.

 Woodcock said he is concerned that the Mormon crickets seem to be appearing at lower elevations every year and are generally headed south as they march across fields.

 County emergency management director Tony Buthman said he contacted the Idaho Department of Agriculture to inquire about the potential of big cricket numbers this year. 

 State ag officials confirmed that recent cool and rainy weather had been keeping the cricket hatch in check so far. 

 Ag officials checked out Owyhee County recently during a survey in search of crickets and didn’t find many. Conditions could change quickly in favor of the crickets. A few warm days that get the soil temperatures up could initiate a hatch.

 County officials said there isn’t a whole lot they can do about Mormon crickets. The county is not in the cricket control business, lacking the manpower and resources. Cricket control is handled by specialist Dan Safford, with the state agriculture department

 “He’s the only one who has the authority to distribute bait,” Buthman said.

 Commissioners said the county is willing to provide space on county property for the state to store cricket and grasshopper bait for farmer and ranchers to use if the bugs get bad this year.

 Various means of controlling the bugs were discussed, including the most effective pesticides. 

 The most widely used pesticide is Carbaryl to control crickets. The bait can be effective if the crickets will stop and eat it. If they are on the move, they can march right over a strip of bait. The extent of damage to fields is related to how quickly farmers get bait out to kill the insects.

 Farmers and ranchers with infestations on private property of more than five acres can fill out a complaint form and receive Carbaryl bait at no charge from the state ag department. 

 The landowner must agree to take responsibility for proper application and storage of the bait.

 Woodcock said he’s heard the product Dimilin is effective when the crickets are at a certain stage in development. But applying it requires a pesticide applicator license and detailed records must be kept on where and when it is used, he said.

 The severity of Mormon cricket infestations can be cyclical. The crickets are flightless, ground-dwelling insects native to the western U.S. They eat native, herbaceous perennials (forbs), grasses, shrubs, and cultivated forage crops, reducing feed for grazing wildlife and livestock. 

 A landowner who needs assistance in filling out a Idaho Department of Agriculture grasshopper and Mormon cricket complaint form, or wants to talk to someone at the state agency about a complaint, call Dan Safford at 208-332-8592 during regular business hours.