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Sam Penrod Reporting...The Mormon cricket and grasshopper infestation in rural parts of Utah is turning out to be the worst it has been in a long time. And now the dreaded bugs are growing up, and devouring everything in their path, especially farmer's crops.
The invasion of Mormon Crickets is on right now in Juab and Millard County, the insects are moving out of the mountains and damaging crops and are really a pest to people who have the crickets crawling into their house.
Right now the roads are literally moving, as thousands and thousands of crickets crawl across the highways.
The crickets starting hatching in April and because of a mild winter, most of the eggs laid last year survived.
Now in towns like Eureka the crickets are taking over and getting into everything.
Joyce Wright/Eureka Resident: "THEY ARE THE MOST DISGUSTING NASTY THINGS, THEY ARE INTO EVERYTHING, I HATE THEM. THEY GET INTO EVERYTHING INTO MY HOUSE, TRUCK, CAR, ...EVERYWHERE."
An over population of Mormon Crickets has been considered a problem over the last six years.
In 1997, 23- thousand acres in the state were infested with crickets.
This year, agriculture officials believe six million acres in Utah will be infested.
State and federal agencies put up about one million dollars to poison the crickets as they hatched; now some residents are doing what they can to keep them off their property.
Other nearby states are also dealing with cricket problems, but not to the extent of Utah.
