Summer is around the corner, and while Southern Nevada must deal with an influx of tourists, some in the state are preparing for a different kind of swarm ... Mormon crickets.
Some living in towns like Elko and Winnemucca have described the infestation as “biblical.”
Tens of thousands of Mormon cricket eggs buried about an inch deep in the soil began to hatch in late May and early June. For weeks, the red critters have been invading swaths of northern Nevada and causing chaos.
These carnivorous, locust-like insects are two inches long, and have a smell described as burning flesh. They’re cannibalistic, so killing one just brings more.
They can also cost millions in property damage, wipe out harvests and even cause accidents on roadways.
So, what are residents and the state doing to prepare?
Guest: Jeff Knight, state entomologist, Nevada
