Farms, roads, and even towns in the region are being invaded by swarms of crickets. The crickets are often called Mormon Crickets, referring to the incident during which Mormon settlers encountered the insects and seagulls consumed the pests. They just crawl and hop intent to eat native grasses, shrubs and crops. They are considered a pest because they reduce feed for wildlife and livestock, and their numbers have been increasing in recent years. If their look isn’t creepy enough, note that they are also cannibals. They will not hesitate to eat each other, especially if there is a food shortage. Scientists think that their swarm behavior of constantly moving is to move to prevent themselves from being attacked and eaten from behind. They have been known to create somewhat hazardous driving conditions when crossing a road. Highway 40 in Colorado has miles of red streaked road due to the swarms. Massive swarms have been moving through Colorado’s western slope and now there are reports coming in that they have been spotted in Uintah County.
