Farmers within Omusati region, Outapi Constituency are very worried of the looming armoured bush cricket (also known as the corn cricket), that are scattered around their cultivated field. Armoured bush crickets (ABC) are destructive flightless species that typically grows to a body length of about 5 cm and they are known to attack or feed on crops.
Namfarmers team visited one of the affected village in Omusati region, Okafitukeonde village. Speaking to Abiatar; a farmer, she shewed us the devastating effects that the crickets are having on her crops.
“Last year (2020), we experienced some armoured bush cricket, but they only started somewhere around March and they were just among few”, says Abiatar.
Although the older generation of the armoured bush cricket was entirely wiped out last year, by then they already laid their eggs which only hatched out now during this current rainy season.
Upon our visitation to her field, we found the armoured cricket that were scattered across her Mahangu field. Abiatar narrates that, although the armoured cricket are small in size for now, with time as they feed on the crops they will grow and be bigger.
“The armoured bush cricket are mostly attacking Pearl Millet, Sorghum and Maize. Partially are they seen eating vegetables such as watermelons, ground nuts and beans”, she said.
In regard to fighting off these fierce pests, Abiatar and other villagers have resorted to collecting the cricket from the field while they are still in their infant stage. They then put them in plastic bottles, which they seal and burn them.
“Collecting the armoured bush cricket from the field is a very tiring process, but we have to do this in order to eliminate the pests and ensure that they do not get to reproduce again,” says Abiatar.
They have learned that once the cricket have reached maturity stage, they will reproduce and lay their eggs within the ground. The eggs will normally remain there until the next rainy season.
“Before it rained, there was no any armoured bush cricket on our field. However, after it rained and once we cultivated our field, our crops started growing. This was the same exact time that we started seeing this unwanted visitors in our field”, says Abiatar.
Abiatar says that, all that she is now striving to achieve with her household is to completely eliminate the armoured bush cricket while they are still in their infant stage. “If we completely get rid of them, while they are young/small, this will ensure that they will not get any chance to reproduce again on our land”, says Abiatar.
Although completely eliminating the cricket, might be possible to them; Abiatar fears that if her neighbours and all other villagers don`t eliminate or get to kill the cricket while they are in their infant stage, they will grow to be bigger again, reproduce and re-infect the entire village.
Upon our visitation, Abiatar says that they haven`t yet taken up the matter with the Agricultural Extension officers, however she was in the process of consulting with other villagers so that they can take up the issue to the right officials.
Speaking to other villagers, they fear that the cricket might negatively affect their harvest if they so continue to persist. The villagers are however determined that they will win the fight against these fierce pest, if not now sometimes later.