Seasonal Mormon cricket swarms spotted in Southeast Idaho

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– Swarms of Mormon crickets are making their way through Southeast Idaho on their migratory routes, with insects spotted in areas of Fort Hall.

Mormon crickets (Anabrus simplex), are insects in the katydid subfamily native to the Western United States whose groups can grow to large numbers during migratory seasons in spring and summer and have potentially devastating impacts on agriculture.

"They're not very picky; they eat a lot of different types of plant material," said Jason Ansay, an invasive species program manager with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA). "They can eat large amounts to where they basically can decimate a farmer's crop, an entire crop, or they can go through rangeland and they can eat more grass than a large herd of cattle in days."

Ansay said the ISDA does offer Mormon cricket control and reimbursement programs for farmers experiencing outbreaks (three or more Mormon crickets per square yard).

For more information, you can visit the Idaho State Department of Agriculture website or their Invasive Species of Idaho website.