Cricket Swarm Threatens Idaho Crops

Swarms of an estimated millions of crickets have been devouring crops in Silver City, Idaho. It is the fourth year in the row the insects have descended upon the town, and the worst invasion yet, ABC 7 reported.

“There are just billions of them, I don’t mean just a few, I mean billions and billions looks like the whole road surface is moving,” said local Clarence Orton.

The crickets are harmless to people, but when they pile onto the streets they can make driving difficult.

“They cake on the highway they cake on your vehicle then they dry up like concrete on your car and they stink,” Orton said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working with local farmers to protect their crops.

“They can cause economic losses to various crops and rangeland forage populations on rangeland adjacent to field crops can lead to a total loss of that crop and they can also incur additional costs for ranchers when their rangeland is negatively affected and they are forced to acquire supplemental feed,” said a spokesman for the USDA.

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smarcus@hamodia.com