The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1913-12-01
A SERIOUS FOE IS
THE MOLE CRICKET
But Department of Entomology Says
NJ Can Be Suppressed by
Careful Effort.

htIanta, Ga.-Ihe mole cricket,
which is causing much trouble to
farmers, particularly in southeastern
Georgi, is believed to have been
brought into Georgia from the
West Indie, and for the past ff-
teen years it has been gradually max
ing its way to the interior wherever
it can find sandy loan or peaty soils,
which constitute its favorite and al
most exclusive abode.
The mole cricket is a brownish-col
ored bug about one and a quarter
inches long with six strong and well
developed legs. It's forefront legs are
highly specialized and these, together
with its head, constitute it's burrowing
apparatus with which it tunnels
through the ground very much like
the mole, whence it's name.
The mole cricket mates in the early
spring, and the eggs are deposited
from April Is to June Is, an important
fact in connection with the work Of
their determination. Only one brood
occurs during the year. Each female
will deposit from twenty to sixty eggs
in an egg chamber or cell leading off
from the main tunnel and within about
five inches of the top of the ground.
The eggs hatch within twenty-four to
twenty-six days. The young cricket
reaches the adult stage within eight
to twelve months
Eats Many Kind of Plants.
The mole crickets food consists
both of plant and animal life. The
cricket will eat the eggs of it's young
or feed upon another of the same
species, but its principal food is COM
posed of the young and tender roots
of growing plants. The cricket does
not confine its feeding to one particu-
lar plant. 1t will feed on practically
all truck crops, such as lettuce, pep
per, tomatoes, turnips and potatoes
and upon pastures and lawns which
suffer severely.
Young sugar cane is also much-de-
sired article of diet Both the potato
vine and potatoes themselves are eat
an. The cricket sewers the vines of
tomatoes, potatoes and peppers just
below the surface of the ground AS
much as fifty per cent. of field of
potatoes has been destroyed by the
crickets eating into the tubers.
Probably the most effective method
yet presented in controlling the mole
cricket is to pillow the breeding areas
two or three times between April Is
and June 15 This exposes the eggs
in large numbers to the sun which
kills them, or they may be eaten by
insectiverous animals.
In the case Of young and tender
plants, preventive measures have Of
ten been employed with good effect,
such as placing around them tin, wire
gauze or paper cylinders. A very
good tin cylinder is made by melting
the top and bottom off q tin tomato
can, The cylinder should extend about
two inches above the ground. All hot
beds in AN infested area should have
solid or gauze wire floors, preferably
the latter, and with fine mesh, and
they should be screened over during
the $night, as that is the time when
the cricket does most of its feeding.
How to Kill Them.
For destroying the crickets poison
bats have been used with good re-
suits. Arsenate of lead may be used
in proportion of three pounds to fifty
gallons of water, or paris green in
proportion of one-half ounce to
bucket OF water. Mash made of bran,
corn meal and cotton seed meal with
this poison incorporated, and placed
in the fields where the crickets feed
will attract them, and the eating Of
it kills them. Care must be taken
to see that no animals run at large
that would be tempted by the bait for
few weeks after it is put out, as
otherwise they would be sure to be
poisoned. ~"
1t is only in the spring that the
crickets fly to any great extent Dur
ing April, especially on warm,
moist nights. they leave the earth in
swarms. A brilliant light placed over
a tub partly filled with water covered
over with oil, will serve as a death
trap to all attracted. Bonf1res are
equally effective and will attract them
from greater area. Sulphur placed
in the drills along with the seed will
act as repellant, as the crickets do
not like it.
The subterranean habits and insid-
ious activities of the mole cricket
makes it a serious foe, says the de-
partment of Entomology. However,
by intelligent and persistent applica-
ton OF the remedies suggested, it is
possible almost to eradicate the pest.
The department will be glad to sup
ply complete bulletins on this and
other subjects to those interested.