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A swarm of insects known as 'Mormon crickets' has appeared in a city in northern Nevada, USA, covering houses and roads, causing great distress to residents.

Recently, numerous photos and videos of Mormon cricket swarms taken by residents of Elko City, Nevada, have been shared on various social networking services (SNS) such as Twitter and TikTok.

Residents of Elko, Nevada, Colette Reynolds, posted a video on TikTok showing a swarm of 'Mormon crickets'
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Colette Reynolds, who posted a video on TikTok showing Mormon crickets densely covering the walls, pillars, and windows of her house, said in the video, "They are literally everywhere," adding, "It's really disgusting and creepy. Mormon crickets have passed through our town every year, but this is the first time my house has been attacked this severely."

Reynolds expressed her distress, saying, "The situation is getting worse every day," and "The entire house is swarmed by insects, so I can't go outside. Last night, I was so worried that I only slept for 15 minutes." She also mentioned that she called a pest control expert to exterminate the insects, but was told that since these insects have a habit of eating each other, the more carcasses there are, the more they attract new individuals as bait, so the only option is to leave them alone.

Ted Veras, a resident who has lived in the city for 15 years, told NBC in an interview that "the appearance of Mormon cricket swarms has become more severe in recent years." Veras said, "Cars drive over the swarms covering the roads, and the carcasses stuck on the road make it slippery and dangerous," adding, "I almost slipped while driving a truck on a curved road covered with Mormon crickets."

Mormon crickets featured on the website of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Nevada, USA
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Despite their name, Mormon crickets are not actually crickets but belong to the katydid family. According to the Nevada State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences website's section on 'Definition and Management of Mormon Crickets,' the adult insects are about 3.8 to 5 cm in size and cannot fly but crawl or jump on the ground. The name 'Mormon cricket' originated from an incident in the 1800s in Utah, USA, where these insects appeared in swarms in areas settled by Mormons and damaged crops.

U.S. media have reported that these insects thrive in dry and hot climates, and their population has increased due to worsening drought and warming in the western United States. The Nevada Department of Agriculture and Forestry has sprayed insecticides and insect growth regulators along major highways over the past few years but has not achieved significant results.