'Pure annoyance': Cricket infestation taking over south Sask. farm

James Schiller says crickets are taking over his farm southwest of Regina.

“It’s just an annoyance,” he told CTV News. “I’ve noticed them in the garden, eating potatoes and the corn.”

“And the kids and wife don’t like them.”

Schiller has lived in the area for 45 years.

For the past few years, he’s been dealing with an increased number of grasshoppers.

Now, potentially thousands of crickets fill not only the grass, but the air with their chirping.

“The grasshoppers are worse for the damage,” Schiller said. “But the crickets are for the pure annoyance.”

Schiller remembered just one other time the sound of crickets has been this loud.

“Back in the [1980s] I remember there being a lot,” he said. “After all the grasshoppers when it was dry.”

“It seems to be cyclical,” Schiller added. “But not as bad as it is now.”

As you walk through the yard, an innumerable number of crickets jump from the grass. They also crawled throughout the farm shop and on shelves.

Whether out in the yard, in the garage or even inside his home, there seems to be no escape from the loud chirping.

“I usually wear earplugs,” Schiller said.

Provincial entomologist James Tansey said the Schillers are likely dealing with the far field cricket species, but adds the Ministry of Agriculture does not track the cricket population like they do other insects like grasshoppers.

“Although [it] can be damaging to crops when they are at high numbers, they aren’t a prevalent enough pest to warrant the sort of attention other pests get,” he told CTV News.

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Despite the annoyance of their chirp, Tansey says crickets can be of some benefit.

“They eat grasshopper eggs,” he said. “The adults really like munching grasshopper eggs.”

Tansey said crickets are an important part of the ecosystem.

“If you have a cricket calling in your bedroom at night, it can be a real annoyance,” he said. “Enjoy their songs.”

Back at the farm, the Schillers are just hoping to get a good night’s rest.

“I think it may get worse as it gets cooler outside and they’re searching for warmth,” Schiller said. “I’m not looking forward to the next month or so.”