JANE TURNBURKE PHOTO
This year’s batch of Mormon crickets are beginning to hatch. Above is a picture of an immature cricket compared to a dime.
RBC | Mormon Cricket hatch-outs have been reported at several sites across northern Rio Blanco County in recent weeks; including Hwy 13 near 9-Mile Ranch, north Sulphur Creek Road, Strawberry Creek Road, Piceance Creek road and north of the Town of Rangely.
Residents are asked to help local agencies track the spread of the crickets, but first, people need to know what to look for this time of year. The crickets are just hatching out and are still very small. In most areas, that could mean as small as 1/8th of an inch. (See size in picture in comparison to the size of a dime.) This means they are not as easily spotted as the full-grown Mormon crickets seen in the summer months. They are usually only found by walking on foot through your yard or rangeland. They are also going to look more like ordinary crickets at this time. The small hatchlings are milling about or starting to move in large groups and can sometimes be spotted when flocks of birds feed on them.
For more information or to report a sighting, contact Callie Scritchfield at the Conservation Service office: 970-878-9838, Jane Turnburke at the RBC Weed and Pest office 970-878-1201 or Linda Masters at CSU Extension 970-878-9494.
By Jane Turnburke and Linda Masters
