Time of Bait Application to Control Black Field Cricket (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

Sampling black field cricket (Teleogryllus commodus) eggs

“…These investigations were carried out in conjunction with other studies investigating cricket damage and control which were undertaken on numerous sites throughout the North Auckland peninsula from 1978 to 1983 (Blank et al 1984(Blank et al , 1985(Blank et al , 1986. Sites most frequently used were on Kaipara clay soil in the Dargaville -Ruawai area; Whareora, Mata, Waipu, Pakotai, Whakapara clay soils in the Whangarei area; and Kaitaia, Rangiuru, Oponga, Okaka clay soils in the Kaitaia -Mangonui area.…”

“…This strategy would give a greater level of precision of the mean than an unrestricted and completely random sample with a wide variance (Southwood 1978). Extensive surveys of cricket egg populations have been made over a wide range of topographical situations throughout Northland (Blank 1984;Blank et al 1984Blank et al , 1986. These surveys have shown that, in most pastoral situations, the ground was of even microtopography and there was no need for stratification.…”

“…For investigations such as surveys where it is essential to sample a large number of sites, but where detailed population estimates may not be required, it is possible to reduce the sample size to 50 -100 cores and still obtain useful estimates. This approach has been successfully used to identify sites with a high risk of cricket attack, as well as identifying sites damaged by high cricket populations, and measuring the effect of bait applications on oviposition (Blank 1982(Blank , 1984Blank et al 1984Blank et al , 1986. Where such minimal sampling is undertaken, soil cores can be taken from relatively small areas of high soil moisture to enhance egg recovery, although this will almost certainly give an overestimate of the egg populations but will enable more accurate prediction of nymph populations.…”

Differentiating between black field cricket and black beetle damage in Northland pastures under drought conditions

“…Many farms in Northland suffered moderate-severe pasture damage after the dry summer conditions experienced during the 1982-83 season. Farmers believed black beetle, Heteronychus arator (Fabricius) (Coleoptera : Scarabaeidae), to be responsible for the damage, although populations of black field cricket, Teleogryllus commodus (Walker) (Orthoptera: Gryllidae), were high on many farms (Blank 1984). It was important to determine which pest was responsible if subsequent control measures were to be successfully carried out.…”

Insecticide baits for control of the black field cricket (Teleogryllus commodus)

“…Maldison treated grain baits are used to kill crickets and should be applied against the nymphal stages present in January to minimise pasture damage (Blank et al 1984b). Maldison baits remain effective for Received21 February 1985; revision 22 April 1985 8 weeks under dry conditions but break down under wet conditions in 2-3 weeks (Blank et al 1984c).…”