Teh One Who Knocks
09-06-2013, 10:50 AM
By Daily Mail Reporter
It’s cricket mating season in Oklahoma and unusually massive swarms of the frisky bugs are terrorizing the state’s residents.
Not only does the field cricket have a noxious odor and shrieking chirp, it has a tendency toward cannibalism so killing them only makes things worse.
Residents say the insects tend to congregate and feed on carcasses of their dead brethren, but they’re covering every street, sidewalk, and building so there’s no way to avoid the occasional crunch.
http://i.imgur.com/K0AIAAo.png
The more they’re stomped, worse infestations around homes and businesses become.
‘I think we are going to see a little more before it gets any better,’ Oklahoma State University’s Brian Jervis told KTUL.
Experts say weather could be the cause of the usually large swarm.
‘These outbreaks seem to occur after periods of prolonged dry weather in spring and early summer followed by rainfall in July and August,’ said Rick Grantham, director of the Plant Disease and Insect Diagnostic Lab in Oklahoma State University. ‘Extensive soil cracking may be an important factor.’
http://i.imgur.com/FJnpy44.png
http://i.imgur.com/6NnNc1g.png
The crickets lay their eggs and crawl out en masse once it’s time for mating.
And though the creatures can be tough to get rid of, experts suggest a few tricks that might ease the problem somewhat.
‘Crickets commonly spend the daylight hours hiding in dark, damp areas. Eliminating piles of bricks, stones, wood or other debris around the home will help reduce numbers,’ said Grantham. ‘aerosols applied to baseboards, door thresholds and cracks and crevices where crickets hide will normally control them.’
In addition to incessant chirping that can last deep into the night and early morning, some residents say the crickets even stink.
'After a while they all start dying and it gets to get this rotted meat smell,' one resident told KFOR.
http://i.imgur.com/QHrUYjr.png
They eventually die back, but that won’t be for another eight weeks or so.
‘I think we are going to see a little more before it gets any better,’ Jervis said.
In the meantime, all residents are left to do is complain and post nauseating photos to their social media streams.
http://i.imgur.com/A6Md6xw.png
Along with up close and personal photos of their cricket experiences, Instagram users had plenty to say about the '#invasion.'
'When I look out my window, this is what I see. Needless to say I will not be sleeping tonight,' writes c_daaber721 with a photo of her cricket-covered window screen.
'A plague has arrived in OKC,' writes colleendamager.
Gypsyroseb asked, 'Crickets, anyone?'
User xnebulousx may have siad it best: 'Large amounts of crickets are gross!'
http://i.imgur.com/TZNQC3P.png
It’s cricket mating season in Oklahoma and unusually massive swarms of the frisky bugs are terrorizing the state’s residents.
Not only does the field cricket have a noxious odor and shrieking chirp, it has a tendency toward cannibalism so killing them only makes things worse.
Residents say the insects tend to congregate and feed on carcasses of their dead brethren, but they’re covering every street, sidewalk, and building so there’s no way to avoid the occasional crunch.
http://i.imgur.com/K0AIAAo.png
The more they’re stomped, worse infestations around homes and businesses become.
‘I think we are going to see a little more before it gets any better,’ Oklahoma State University’s Brian Jervis told KTUL.
Experts say weather could be the cause of the usually large swarm.
‘These outbreaks seem to occur after periods of prolonged dry weather in spring and early summer followed by rainfall in July and August,’ said Rick Grantham, director of the Plant Disease and Insect Diagnostic Lab in Oklahoma State University. ‘Extensive soil cracking may be an important factor.’
http://i.imgur.com/FJnpy44.png
http://i.imgur.com/6NnNc1g.png
The crickets lay their eggs and crawl out en masse once it’s time for mating.
And though the creatures can be tough to get rid of, experts suggest a few tricks that might ease the problem somewhat.
‘Crickets commonly spend the daylight hours hiding in dark, damp areas. Eliminating piles of bricks, stones, wood or other debris around the home will help reduce numbers,’ said Grantham. ‘aerosols applied to baseboards, door thresholds and cracks and crevices where crickets hide will normally control them.’
In addition to incessant chirping that can last deep into the night and early morning, some residents say the crickets even stink.
'After a while they all start dying and it gets to get this rotted meat smell,' one resident told KFOR.
http://i.imgur.com/QHrUYjr.png
They eventually die back, but that won’t be for another eight weeks or so.
‘I think we are going to see a little more before it gets any better,’ Jervis said.
In the meantime, all residents are left to do is complain and post nauseating photos to their social media streams.
http://i.imgur.com/A6Md6xw.png
Along with up close and personal photos of their cricket experiences, Instagram users had plenty to say about the '#invasion.'
'When I look out my window, this is what I see. Needless to say I will not be sleeping tonight,' writes c_daaber721 with a photo of her cricket-covered window screen.
'A plague has arrived in OKC,' writes colleendamager.
Gypsyroseb asked, 'Crickets, anyone?'
User xnebulousx may have siad it best: 'Large amounts of crickets are gross!'
http://i.imgur.com/TZNQC3P.png