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<br />January 1988
<br />
<br />TYus, MINCKLEY: MORMON CRICKETS
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<br />29
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<br />l/1li
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<br />serious livestock competitor (Capinera and
<br />MacVean 1987, Corkins 1923, Cowen 1932),
<br />Bands of crickets migrating into croplands
<br />have resulted in economic damage that is leg-
<br />endary, However, reports of flying grasshop-
<br />pers in early accounts (Bancroft 1889), indi-
<br />cate Mormon crickets did less than all the
<br />damage, Psychological effects of hordes of
<br />large, black insects invading gardens and
<br />dwellings during periodic outbreaks were
<br />nonetheless sufficient to stimulate severe
<br />countermeasures, Mechanical barriers, poi-
<br />soned baits, aerial application of pesticides,
<br />and biological controls have all been used (An-
<br />imal and plant Health Inspection Service
<br />1986, Capinera and MacVean 1987, Swain
<br />1944, Wakeland 1959),
<br />As mentioned, Mormon crickets provide
<br />food for many terrestrial and aquatic animals,
<br />They are also potentially valuable to man,
<br />Defoliart et at (1982) found that dried Mor-
<br />mon crickets contained 2,800 Kcal/kg and val-
<br />ued the powder at $300/metric ton. A small (1
<br />km2) band of crickets (10-20 crickets/m2)
<br />would be worth about $3,000-$7,000 based on
<br />these values, Mormon crickets are also
<br />beneficial because they feed on other insect
<br />pests, including aphids (Ueckert and Hanson
<br />1970), and are known to scavenge on feces or
<br />carrion, converting these energy sources into
<br />food more readily usable by higher predators,
<br />Control may therefore conflict with perpetua-
<br />tion and management of desirable species,
<br />either through direct poisoning or indirectly
<br />through reduction in the terrestrial and
<br />aquatic food supply (Capinera and MacVean
<br />1987, Mont and Oehme 1981),
<br />Although government agencies currently
<br />utilize pesticides of relatively low toxicity to
<br />vertebrates (L e" carbaryl, malathion), these
<br />chemicals can cause adverse impacts to the
<br />avifauna (Moulding 1976) and to aquatic in-
<br />vertebrates (Mont and Oehme 1981), Private
<br />citizens may employ even more dangerous
<br />chemicals, Direct impacts of pesticides (e, g.,
<br />blow-over, accidental spraying, or washing of
<br />poisons into aquatic habitats) may be mini-
<br />mized by enforcement of regulations (U. S.
<br />Fish and Wildlife Service 1986, 1987), Yet
<br />pesticide contamination remains a possibility
<br />if applied near aquatic systems, If direct poi-
<br />soning of nontarget animals does not occur,
<br />indirect effects, such as reduction in foods,
<br />may affect fishes,
<br />
<br />Contamination of aquatic habitats may fur-
<br />ther occur through mass movements of pesti-
<br />cide-laden Mormon crickets into streams, and
<br />entrainment of other contaminated animals, If
<br />crickets consumed by fishes contain pesti-
<br />cides, the large number eaten by fishes sug-
<br />gests that substantial amounts of pesticides
<br />could likewise be consumed, This would re-
<br />sult in death or physiologic impairment, Coin-
<br />cidence of cricket outbreaks, pesticide appli-
<br />cation, and fish reproduction may result in
<br />potential pesticide influence on gamete pro-
<br />duction, gametes, or young. A high incidence
<br />of vertebral anomaly (lordosis) in round tail
<br />chub in DNM has been tentatively linked to
<br />pesticide applications (Haynes and Muth
<br />1985),
<br />Lastly, streams within and near DNM are
<br />renowned for sport fishing, Substantial har-
<br />vests are recorded for trouts in the Green
<br />River below Flaming Gorge Dam and channel
<br />catfish throughout the upper Green River
<br />Basin, Other carnivorous fishes, including
<br />northern pike (Esox lucius ), are also taken and
<br />eaten. If pesticides are bioaccumulated by
<br />sport fishes, an avenue exists for direct trans-
<br />fer of potentially damaging substances to the
<br />public.
<br />
<br />ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
<br />
<br />This paper was developed from research
<br />supported, in part, by the Fish and Wildlife
<br />Service, Bureau of Reclamation, and National
<br />Park Service, The states of Colorado and Utah
<br />furnished needed collecting permits and
<br />other assistance, L, A. Trinca, C. A, Karp,
<br />and other Fish and Wildlife Service em-
<br />ployees aided in field data collection and
<br />manuscript preparation, p, C. Marsh also
<br />read and improved a draft of the manuscript.
<br />
<br />LITERATURE CITED
<br />
<br />ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE. 1987.
<br />Biological assessment for the Rangeland Grass-
<br />hopper Cooperative Management Program. U.S.
<br />Dept. Agric., Washington, D.G.
<br />BANCROFT. H. H. 1889. History of Utah. In: The works of
<br />Hubert Howe Bancroft, Vol. 26. The History
<br />Company, San Francisco. (Reprinted 1964 by
<br />Bookcraft, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah).
<br />CAPINERA. J, AND G MACVEAN. 1987. Ecology and man-
<br />agement of Mormon cricket, Anabrus simplex
<br />Haldeman. Final Report to the National Park Ser-
<br />vice. Department of Entomology, Colorado State
<br />University, Fort Collins.
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